TD: Dam removal as a restoration is something that is gaining a lot of momentum nationally, and it’s important that we evaluate these structures because every piece of infrastructure has a lifespan so we need to either plan for its eventual removal or we could be faced with a catastrophic event such as the one in Michigan. (Photo courtesy of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe). Across the nation we have a problem with dams, and in the state … In most instances, rivers heal quickly, and it’s hard to realize that a dam once blocked the river. We’ve been able to detect fish like walleye — which is not a really strong swimmer – but walleye have been able to move miles upstream where there is incredibly good quality, viable habitat for them to spawn on. (Photo by David Ruck, Great Lakes Outreach Media). Alice’s Garden: Solutions for Clean Water in Milwaukee, Year of the River: The Elwha and White Salmon. She spoke with Tony David, director of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe’s environment division, who helped orchestrate the removal of the dam in Hogansburg, New York. The natural flow of water and sediment is impeded, and populations of native fish, mussels, and other aquatic animals are damaged. We’re talking about millions of dollars of improvements just to get the dam fully operational again. Looking downstream through the former dam. The alternative to this is working “in the wet”. Dam removal is a planning process that can often take several years and be expensive. Dams harm fish habitat, change water temperatures, and alter the natural flow of water and sediment through our waterways. In most cases, blowing up a dam is not feasible because of the potential for environmental damage or the dam’s location in a developed or urban area. It looked like just to get another operating license from the federal government it would require millions of dollars in improvements for the facility. COVID-19 Compliance: Agencies grapple with environmental protection in the COVID-19 era, PFAS News Roundup: PFOS in fish, Wisconsin standards in dispute, lacking regulations in Canada, Drinking Water News Roundup: Illinois lead issues, Michigan citizen reporting, Canada First Nations water access. In her Great Lakes Now article “Dams Across the Great Lakes: End of the line for aging infrastructure?,” writer Lorraine Boissoneault explored some of the sites and issues. This ensures that the changing river channel will not expose a remnant of the dam’s foundation that can become a barrier to the movement of aquatic life, or a safety hazard to people who fish, swim, or boat in the river. LB: There’s been slightly more conversation than in the past about dam infrastructure especially with the dam that broke in Michigan. Start typing to search for web content...Visit the reading room to search for documents. Click HERE for more information. Those are things that people get used to. This is the former Bendigo State Park dam, which impounded a section of the East Branch Clarion River near Johnsonburg, PA. LB: Since the dam has been come down, what has been the community response to it? Have you heard from tribes in the region or elsewhere who are interested in how your experience was with this project? This dam is a good example of a typical dam removal project in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The structure of the dam is carefully removed to minimize downstream impacts. Have there been any other concerns about flooding or how the watershed might be changed? To avoid undue harm during dam removal, construction is undertaken in careful steps to not only avoid unacceptable degradation but also to keep dam removal contractors, their equipment, and people downstream out of harm’s way. Across the nation we have a problem with dams, and in the state of New York there are more than 6,00 dams. Tony David: It was about a seven-year process. Stream restoration upstream of the Cane River dam removal site. Tweet this page on Twitter or There’s a lot of work to that needs to be done. Across the Great Lakes region, there’s a been an effort to restore rivers to their natural states by removing aging dams. We’ve restored some of the nature beauty of the St. Regis River. This area is now a safe canoe access point and angling area. This is the former Bendigo State Park dam, which impounded a section of the East Branch Clarion River near Johnsonburg, PA. Regarding the ecosystem values associated with smaller dams with wetlands and the suggestion that “ecology” is not the impetus for removal. So those improvements, we’re just now starting to put together some of the scientific information that documents that. The release of sediments from behind Bendigo dam was comparable to that of a summer thunderstorm. While well-designed and properly managed dams can provide many benefits, they drastically alter natural river communities. Now people go there and they can enjoy the fish resources, they can enjoy the natural beauty of the river, and it’s a source of pride for a lot of community members because we used to have to drive great distances to see a rapids section of the river, now we have it right here on the territory. Dam removal in the Pacific Northwest is covered in the PBS documentary series “The Age of Nature.” For more information about that series, click HERE. It is important to remove the dam structure to a level that is several feet below the stream bed. There’s now a beautiful riffle and cascade in a spot where it was really just a forgotten industrial site. Recovery and Interstate Commerce River restoration brings rivers back to life by removing dams, replacing culverts, and restoring... A healthy river is a community’s first line of defense, ensuring water security and... A running inventory of all dam removal projects we can find. We’ve monitored fish movements. The dams removed from Washington’s Elwha and White Salmon rivers, for example, were initially breached to allow the impoundments to dewater and the submerged areas to dry prior to deconstruction. August, 2010. This kind of physical removal of the dam is punctuated with periods of inactivity to allow a slow, controlled release of water and sediments from behind the dam. A lot of people upstream of the dam are actually fairly thankful because with the dam removed, it’s actually reduced their flood risk to a lot of big heavy rain events so all around, I think the reaction from the community and tribal members has been immensely positive. primary habitats, Shuford Dam Removal in Brookford, North Carolina, Visit the reading room to search for documents. Required fields are marked *.

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