ARTICLE TITLE: Down Go the Dams AUTHOR/SOURCE: Jane C.

Marks

MAIN POINTS:

Decommissioning dams is becoming a regular occurrence as structures age, provide an inconsequential share of a region's power, become unsafe or too costly to repair, or as communities decide they want their rivers wild and full of fish again. Removing a dam does not automatically mean a long-altered ecosystem will flourish once more. Reality often proves far more complex and intricate than people anticipate. 800,000 dams worldwide, 45,000 are large Benefits- hydroelectric power makes up of 20% of all electric supply and energy is clean and renewable. Dams control flooding and provide a reliable supply of water for irrigation, drinking and recreation. Dams displace people and have been controversial in developing the world. Structures ruin vistas, trap sediments, stymie migratory fish and destroy ecosystems in and around the waterways Rate of dam removal has exceeded the rate of construction for the past decade or so. In previous two years alone, 80 dams have fallen and researchers following the trend expect that dams will continue to come down. As water moves more freely, temperature falls and cold-loving fish return. Biologists have observed these benefits from Wisconsin to South Wales in Australia. Problems: release of sediments trapped behind a dam's walls can choke waterways, muddying the environment and wiping out insects and algae which are important food for fish. Dams blocked invasive species from moving upriver and into zones above the dam Dam removal can pose dangers for people living nearby in places where flood control is crucial Sediments stuck behind dams are proving crucial variables when dams are taken down. Biggest issue is how to contend with what can be a massive accumulation of dirt and debris.

If sediments contain high level of pollutants, cost of removing them has to be weighed against the ability of the waterway to wash them away. If sediment load is very high and the river's flushing capacity low, engineers might opt to remove the dam in stages, allowing small amounts of sediment to be released at a time. Managers and scientists are using all available information about dam removal to make decisions. Gaps in our knowledge about ecosystems remain and those working on decommissioning dams recognize they are conducting long term experiments that may have unanticipated results. Engineers who were once dedicated to building dams now work on decommissioning them. U.S Government agencies are studying how to provide the benefits of the structures without their injurious efforts. Societies will continue to balance the pros and cons of dams, weighing utility and benefits against destructive costs. Scientists must continue to learn about how to remove dams so natural ecosystems and human communities can thrive. Local community wanted to preserve components of the generating station Preservation of the dam can become part of the restoration plan Compromises like these, along with further ecological insights and more flexible engineering, it seems possible to think of the world's waterways as ultimately fulfilling their promise for all parties
AUTHOR'S PURPOSE: Dams have a positive and negative impact. They stop over flooding and contribute a supply of water for irrigation, drinking and recreation. The cons of dams are that it disturbs homes of humans and the marine organisms that call that area home. The retirements of dams also have pros and cons. Pros of the removal of dams includes clearer water. If a dam is removed, the DO levels increase over time. Cons from removing dams are the worry over sediment. Removing dams can release sediment that would choke waterways and modify the water. An idea to preserve dams is that they can become part of the restoration plans. MY THOUGHTS: The article provided points of both the pros and cons of removing dams. A pro is that it can enhance the location. To me this means that there would be an increase in tourism, economic benefit to the city/state that has control of the body of water that had a dam. Another pro is that removing dams would permit biodiversity to also increase. Without a dam to stop the water, flooding could cause serious damage, maybe even natural disasters?

So What? The removals of dams have a positive and negative side. What if? The profit of dams overrode the consequences?

Says Who? Jane C. Marks What does this remind you of..? This article didnt remind me of anything .-.