In 1992, The Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act of 1992 authorized the US Federal Government to acquire the hydroelectric power projects of Elwha Dam and Glines Canyon Dam, where are located on the Washington State for demolition for habitat restoration and decommissioning. The dam removals began in 2011 and finished in 2014. I wondering that why government decided to remove the dam and what happens in Elwha River after dam removal. In this paper, I write about the following topics: main purpose of the Elwha and Gliens Canyon dam, effects to the Elwha River as well as ecosystem after constructing dam, reasons of the dam removal, process of the dam removal, and effects after dam removal. In the beginning of the 20th century, …show more content…
In May 1986, Friends of the Earth, Olympic Park Associates, Sierra Club, and Seattle Audubon Society file called for removal of Elwha and Glien Canyon dam and full restoration of ecosystem in Elwha River. In November 1986, these groups, as well as National Marine Fisheries Service and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe were granted intervenor status. In March 1988, they found that the Glines Canyon hydroelectric project could not be relicensed by the FERC because it did not have jurisdiction. In February 1990, General Accounting Office concluded that FERC did not have authority to license the Glines Canyon dam. In February 1991, FERC released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, and concluded that dam removal would be only way for full restoration of anadromous fish and the Elwha River ecosystem. In March 1991, General Accounting Office also concluded that dam removal would be the best way for fish restoration. In October 1992, President George H.W. Bush signed the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act as Public Law 102-495. (National Park Service). The main purpose of the dam removal project is for the restoration of native anadromous fisheries and the Elwha River ecosystem. The cost of the dam removal projects would be about $30 million, and the Secretary would pay to local industrial consumer and the dam owner (Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act,
Easy navigation and flood control encouraged trade along the river, which boosted the economy and led to an increase in jobs for traders, deckhands, etc. (US History TVA). In addition to providing increased trade opportunities, large amounts of money that would have been spent on the flood damage that were saved by the construction of these dams. A few years into the program, stations were created in the area to monitor flooding. Reports from these stations, in addition to computer calculations, show that the total cost of the flood damage up until 2007 would have been $5.8 billion (TVA River Neighbors). The flooding would have destroyed not only people’s homes, but also their businesses and livelihoods., which would have led to further unemployment.
Along this journey created by nature, the river interacts with man’s influence to encapsulate the full geographic experience of this region. The succession of dams along the river’s path is a major contribution to how man has decided to mesh with the river. The dams have created reservoirs for water supplies, harnessed energy to provide electric power to the southwestern region, and controlled flooding. Flood control was the main concern at the time between the years 1905 and 1907 when large floods broke through the irrigation gates and destroyed crops in California. The flooding was so large it actually created a 450 square mile sea, named the Salton Sea. As a result of this major disaster, ideas were formulated to
The article “Down go the dams” by Jane C.Marks aim to provide an informative view on the current pending issue on Dams. The article starts out my mentioning the important nature of dams in our society. For example, Jane C.Marks states that today about 800,000 dams operate worldwide as well as the fact that most were built in the past century, primarily after World War II. Furthermore, the author lays down informative facts about dams such as the fact that dams control flooding and their reservoirs provide a reliable supply of water for irrigation, drinking and recreation which are all very important to society. In an economic standpoint, although it is very high maintenance dams provide jobs for people. The
The Grand Coulee Dam, located in Eastern Washington, was one of controversy, risk, and a point of no return. While the water captured made the desert area blossom in agriculture and it powered some large cities, it created a sense of accomplishment, that humans can control Mother Nature. While many people were very excited for this new construction – which gives power and resources - at the time, some thought it should not be allowed, they are not proud of containing the Columbia River. In this analysis, I am going to focus on the economic and social effects that the Grand Coulee Dam created in its build.
Dams are harming salmon in so many ways. They’re taking away their habitat. The salmon’s access of the rivers are suddenly gone. In the Northwest, a large portion of dollars are spent in a year to fix all the damage to the salmon, caused by the dams on the Snake and Columbia rivers. For decades, there have been numerous debates about taking down these dams to help the fish, because they’re part of the endangered species act. There are biologists that notice how some salmon are trying to survive in rivers located in the Northwest that have been changed by dams. These fish are simply delaying migration back to the sea, growing larger in order to survive their trip back to the Pacific Ocean, and going back to their birth streams at higher rates than ever. All these salmon could be saving themselves instead of people spending billions of dollars. The consequences of this could be very important. The recovery of salmon
In the ¨River Restoration Project Offers a Sprinkling of Hope¨, Ron Jacobsma, general manager of the Friant Water Authority, said “We hope to get double duty out of that water by taking it the long way around.¨ As Jacobsma is a general manager of the Friant water Authority, this offers us his experience, his ideas and his thoughts of how we can have hope for the project. President Barack Obama signed the Omnibus Public Lands Bill in March, the agreement turned into federal law when he signed it. The parties had been working on the restoration plan for more than two years laying the groundwork for the physical changes to come. When the president signed it, it made them get the approval which he supported for them to continue the process. The credibility of the author right has now been believable because he provided us with the ethics of President Obama and Jacobsma. The river will not necessarily end up to its full, natural path along its entire length. Too much has changed in the decades since the dams construction. They would use canals along some stretches to carry the water short distances and to ferry the salmon upstream. This is showing us logos with facts and information it offers an explanation on how to solve one of the problems with the plan. A professor named Peter Moyole, from UC Davis also had his opinion on the project. He said “We have never done anything on this scale”, but we were willing to try it and approve of the
Beside these arguments, there is also a more quantitative side to the debate. The ecological detriments of the Glen Canyon Dam have been well-documented. Extensive changes were brought about in the Colorado River ecosystem by the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam. Most of these alterations negatively affected the functioning of the system and the native aquatic species of the river. The reduced supply and transport of
The Three Gorges Dam is an unfinished project which will be the largest dam ever constructed on the planet Earth. It is situated in China on the third largest river in the world – the Yangtze. The dam has been debated over since the 1919 and is still a hot topic of debate because of its many pros and cons. In 1994 construction began on the dam, and it is expected to be finished by the year 2009. The massive dimensions of the dam are mind boggling and its functions – if the dam actually works – are truly remarkable; however, with such a large structure also comes difficulties, sacrifices, and cynics. The goal of this essay is to lend an understanding of the dam itself, the prospective benefits of
In 1923-1947 Arkansas Power and Light (AP&L) constructed several dams on two Arkansas lakes, Hamilton and Catherine. AP & L obtained “flood easements” on property adjoining the lakes. AP&L sold lake side property and kept the easement in force. These flood easements permitted AP&L to “clear of trees, brush, and other obstruction and to submerge by
In addition, farmland has been destroyed because of the floods and the decrease in delta sediment. The dam has reduced downstream nutrients and sediment flow. And has seriously impacted neighboring river and seacoast ecosystems.
Balancing the vital need for water and related resources with an obligation to protect environmental and ecological health poses an increasingly complex challenge. The Bureau of Reclamation manages CRSP and other Colorado River projects to develop and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner for the American public. It works actively with federal, tribal, state, local and non-governmental partners to adaptively manage the river system with an eye toward greater societal awareness and the importance of healthy ecosystems – particularly downstream of the dam through Glen and Grand
With human development, industrial pollution and other factors all contribute to the deteriorated condition of the river, which makes it difficult to determine the dams’ environmental impact in isolation. CITE That said, the current operations of the dam hamper and potentially prevent environmental improvement of the Colorado. In order to preserve some semblance of the Colorado ecosystem, man must restore the natural processes that created the ecosystem. The real question is how to do that, whether via dam decommission or a less extreme policy change.
As you most likely know, the Mekong river is quite essential to human and animal life in its river basin. There are more than a few ways that us humans are dependent on the Mekong river. Some of these are food, water and increasingly, electricity. All of the previously mentioned needs seem important but one clashes with the others. Hydropower is à renewable energy source which is rising in popularity. Since hydropower is à renewable energy source it is not believed to be harmful to the environment. According to an expert on the topic, Professor Philip Hirsch, Hydropower is Laos’ gateway to getting rich. As stated by Xaypaseuth Phomsoupha, building these dams helps with providing à better life for the Lao population. But the disadvantages
INTRODUCTION: Water assets building is growing massively today. Dams have the most vital part in using water assets. They were developed taxing year before increasing present data about hydrology and hydro mechanics. All through the historical backdrop of the world, dams have been utilized effectively as a part of gathering, putting away and overseeing water expected to manage human advancement. Dams have a lot of positive and negative impacts on the earth. Their advantages like controlling stream administration, subsequently forestalling surges, getting local and water system water from put away water and creating vitality from hydro control. While dam give noteworthy advantage to our general public, their effect on the encompassing incorporates resettlement and migration, financial effect, natural concerns, sedimentation issue, security angles and so on. Notwithstanding their vital social and natural advantages, it is vital to minimize the negative impacts of the hoover dam on the earth with respect to feasible advancement.
The most environmentally damaging aspect of reservoirs is habitat loss. A river habitat is very different from a reservoir habitat. The flooding of a river system to create a reservoir destroys forests, human habitat, spawning routes, and animal habitats. Suspended soils, logs and debris may settle out of the water as it slows down. Shoreline erosion can increase the sediment load and increase turbidity of the water. Sedimentation, if left unchecked, can leave a dam rendered useless.