Because of Cheney's intervention, the government reversed itself and let the water flow in time to save the 2002 growing season, declaring that there was no threat to the fish. What followed was the largest fish kill the West had ever seen, with tens of thousands of salmon rotting on the banks of the Klamath River.

From "Leaving No Tracks", the environmental segment of the Washington Post's excellent 4-part overview of Cheney's reign as VP.