Boise Engineering Firm McMillen Wins Top National Honor for Historic Klamath Dam Removal Project
Why It Matters
A Boise-based engineering firm has earned the most prestigious recognition in American engineering for its leadership on a landmark water infrastructure project, putting Idaho expertise at the center of one of the most consequential river restoration efforts ever undertaken in the United States.
What Happened
McMillen, a Boise-headquartered environmental, engineering, and construction firm, has received the Grand Conceptor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) — the organization’s highest honor. The award was presented at ACEC’s 59th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Gala, a nationally juried competition recognizing the country’s most exceptional engineering achievements.
McMillen earned the recognition for its central role in the Klamath River Renewal Project, a multi-year effort to remove four dams along the Klamath River and restore natural water flow to a system that had been blocked for more than a century. The project is recognized as the largest dam removal and river restoration undertaking in recorded history.
The firm served as Owner’s Representative and Construction Manager throughout the effort, coordinating logistics and stakeholder relationships across a project that involved six Tribal nations — the Hoopa, Karuk, Yurok, Shasta, Klamath, and Modoc — along with more than 21 government agencies and dozens of public, private, and nonprofit partners spanning multiple states and regulatory jurisdictions.
By the Numbers
- 400+ miles of historic fish habitat reopened following dam removal
- 6 Tribal nations led the Klamath River Renewal Project
- 21+ agencies coordinated across multiple states and regulatory bodies
- 100+ years the river system had been blocked before restoration
- 59th year of ACEC’s Engineering Excellence Awards Gala
On the Ground Results
The environmental outcome of the project has been closely watched by water resource professionals and tribal communities alike. Within months of the final dam structures being removed, salmon and lamprey were documented returning to upstream river reaches that prior generations had not been able to access. The rapid ecological response has been cited as a marker of the project’s success.
The restoration effort was driven largely by tribal leadership, with the six Klamath Basin tribes playing a primary role in advocating for and ultimately guiding the removal process. McMillen’s role focused on the engineering, construction management, and coordination infrastructure necessary to execute the plan across a complex web of governmental and nonprofit partners.
Zoom Out
The Klamath project represents a growing trend across the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest, where aging dam infrastructure is being evaluated for removal or modification as water managers weigh hydropower benefits against downstream ecological costs. Idaho’s Snake River has been at the center of similar conversations, particularly regarding the four lower Snake River dams and their impact on salmon populations — a debate that involves significant economic, agricultural, and tribal interests across the region.
McMillen’s national recognition underscores Idaho’s growing reputation as a hub for water resources engineering talent. The firm’s ability to manage a project of this scale — spanning multiple sovereign nations, state governments, and federal agencies — positions it as a major player in future large-scale infrastructure work across the West. The firm is among a number of Idaho-based businesses expanding their footprint in technical and infrastructure sectors, joining other Boise-area firms drawing national attention for leadership in specialized fields.
What’s Next
McMillen has not publicly announced what projects it will pursue following this recognition, though the firm’s water resources and infrastructure expertise positions it well for continued work on complex, multi-stakeholder projects. The Klamath restoration effort will continue to be monitored for long-term ecological outcomes as salmon populations and river dynamics adjust to the restored natural flow. Additional information on the project is available through the company’s official newsroom.
Those interested in how Idaho businesses are competing for major infrastructure contracts can also follow related developments, including ongoing water rights discussions tied to large commercial projects in the region.
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