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Dam removals.


 
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#1 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 12 July 2012 - 08:39 AM

Or removals, damn; depending on your point of view I suppose.

Fish are making a strong comeback to the Elwha River.
By 2013, the water will run free, unencumbered by dams. :biggrin:

http://www.msnbc.msn...ws-environment/
http://www.americanr...ng-rivers/dams/
http://library.ucr.e...llections/cdri/

#2 artistry

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Posted 13 July 2012 - 05:57 PM

Excellent. The fish deserve to swim free. Happy to see the progress, to let the fish return to the waters. Thanks for he share.

#3 Julie

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Posted 14 July 2012 - 08:18 AM

This is a very heartening tale - the guy was amazed that the fish came back so quickly. Well, there's something to be learned from that - we humans shouldn't underestimate the instincts for survival of the many other species which share the environment. These fish are acting completely naturally and moving in to help to restore the balance of nature which had been skewed by the presence of those dams.

#4 Phil

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Posted 17 July 2012 - 11:59 AM

I live in the area. It was interesting the fish came back so quickly.  We have so much hydro up here the dams weren't really needed anymore  Our energy provider actually pays a wind farm $20 million a year to shut down in the spring thaw and fall rain timeframes.

They did try all kinds of solutions to get the fish up river but none worked.  This was actually signed by Bush 1 a couple of decades ago, it's taken this long to get all the details worked out.

#5 aphil

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Posted 01 August 2012 - 12:15 PM

This is great news. It is a concerted effort and will continue to have a big positive impact. Thanks for sharing.

#6 ACSAPA

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Posted 01 August 2012 - 07:12 PM

It's beautiful to see the pictures of the fish that are coming back to the river, and to read about their will to survive. Maybe sometime soon we'll be reading about how the river is teeming with baby fish.

#7 Phil

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Posted 01 August 2012 - 08:13 PM

Salmon is so plentiful up here they serve salmon burgers instead of hamburgers at fund raisers.  I guess they like the water! :biggrin:

Fresh grilled salmon on a french roll with corn on the cob, beans, and home made lemonade, YUM-E! :rolleyes: Follow that with Marionberry pie and a scoop of ice cream and my day is complete!

#8 Mustaxina

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Posted 03 August 2012 - 05:45 AM

Ah, yes, the great dilemma between leaving rivers untouched to preserve biodiversity and natural habitat versus building dams that will prevent pollution and emission of carbon dioxide. But well, you can't have your cake and eat it too! But since I'm more of a biologist than an engineer, seeing dams being removed and ocean-going fish return to the rivers is good news to me. I wonder what would happen if they removed a dam where no ocean-going fish used to live, for example in a mountainous, landlocked country such as Austria or Switzerland. Maybe the marginal gains in biodiversity would not be enough to justify the loss of a renewable energy source?

#9 Phil

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Posted 03 August 2012 - 10:24 AM

In WA state, hydro is not considered green.  My utility gets 84% of it's energy from hydro but despite their repeated efforts the state will not allow them to count that towards their green energy mandates.

Many think big oil is against renewable energy but they could care less.  It's the coal, nuclear, nat gas industries that have it in for the solar and wind crowd.  Local utilities aren't enthused either.  With my solar the utility will see $100/yr from me instead of $1000, imagine if half their customers did that!  :ohmy:

#10 Mustaxina

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Posted 04 August 2012 - 06:25 AM

View PostPhil, on 03 August 2012 - 10:24 AM, said:

Many think big oil is against renewable energy but they could care less.  It's the coal, nuclear, nat gas industries that have it in for the solar and wind crowd.
That's what I've always said. In Europe and America, at least, oil represents a small part of electricity generation - most of the consumption of oil as energy is used in cars, aircraft, etc. But coal has virtually no large-scale application besides electricity generation, which is why coal companies are fighting renewable energy tooth and nail. What's ironic is that here in the UK, Prime Minister Thatcher almost obliterated the coal industry in the 1980s, as part of her push to turn the British economy into a services economy. She saw it as politically expedient. And now, her political heirs are trying to revive the ailing coal and natural gas industries... because they see it as politically expedient! We really need people who care about the future of the country and not just the next election.

#11 Phil

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Posted 04 August 2012 - 08:05 AM

The problem is jobs.  Jobs build revenue for companies, employees, and thereby government.  Since China has an insatiable thurst for coal, there is money to be made and employees to hire.

It would be wonderful if the world was black and white but that is not reality.  People who want to avoid economic collapse DO care about the future. :smile:

#12 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 07 August 2012 - 03:45 AM

Here's a dam removal map and the projects help restore river systems to their natural state.
http://www.americanr...am-removal-map/

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