57 Dams in 16 States to be Removed in 2003 Says American Rivers

releases.usnewswire.com ^

[Voltage]

Lots of folks get injured running their boats into these damn dams. Of course they are drunk, but so what!

[DoughtyOne]

Lets see: No to dams. No to nuclear power generation. No to new oil wells. No to wind generation. No to coal fired plants. No to oil fired plants. No to hamsters on treadmills.

Better get out your old exercise bicycles folks, I understand they're about to become very popular after a few alterations.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

Just dam?

[stands2reason]

You read the article, and still see no benefit to removing some of these dams?

[jrawk]

I don't remember saying no to Hamster Treadmills... only Hamsters Dancing.

-- lates
-- jrawk

[AntiGuv]

Is there any particular reason why maintenance of decrepit, obsolete dams would seem beneficial to anyone?

[philo]

The removal, which only cost $675

Who built these things, beavers?

[Mike Darancette]

banana = Build Abosutely Nothing At Noplace Anytime.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[DoughtyOne]

...just a minute. I'm Googling... Har!

[Willie Green]

You read the article, and still see no benefit to removing some of these dams?

There probably is some benefit to removal of some antiquated dams.
However, by focusing primarily on dam removal rather than more objectively placing equal emphasis on dam renovation and new construction, American Heritage Rivers has sacrificed credibility on this issue.

[Tallguy]

Here in Pennsylvania we're talking primarily about "low head" dams, not the kind that generate power.

That being said, I don't understand how this is going to "increase recreational opportunities" when the dams are actually responsible for the water being deep enough to permit safe boating. Take some of those dams away, and you'll be able to walk across the Susquehanna River.

[DoughtyOne]

I have no problem with damns being replaced, and even destroyed with no replacement upon occassion. However I think you guys are failing to note that the removal of all damns has been a quest of the radical green factions. Don't take this article at full face value. There's more to it than this.

[Starstruck]

Amish Beavers. They are not allowed to use their teeth or tails.

[DoughtyOne]

I think your comments are reasonable. I agree with you. I guess it's the "damn all dams" mantra that the radical greens have that gets my hackles up.

I don't think God was anti-environment when he created beavers. Not all dams are bad.

[AntiGuv]

Here's American Rivers on the Mill Creek Dam:

Daniel Esh Dam, Mill Creek, PA: Approximately 2 feet high, this Amish-owned dam was removed July 2003. Originally built to impound water for skating and to power a very small 6 pump, the dam is the fifth of six blockages on Mill Creek, a tributary of the Conestoga Creek and the Susquehanna River. The remaining blockages are being addressed through a combination of removals and fish passage projects, most of which are currently in the design stage. In addition to dam removal and buffer planting, USFWS partners built a single-strand high-tensile-wire fence along both streambanks to keep cattle from walking into the stream. Follow-up work includes building stone crossings at intervals along the streambank so the farmer can get cattle from one side to the other for rotational grazing and so cattle can still drink from the stream at limited access spots.

One may read a brief summary of every dam removal effort here:

Dams Slated for Removal in 2003 and Dams Removed in 1999, 2000, 2001, & 2002

As far as I'm concerned, this is a great endeavor..

[AntiGuv]

No, I'm well-aware of the radical green efforts to eliminate all dams, however I'm skeptical that they would succeed in having much of anything aside from useless dams removed. There are extremists calling for just about everything and anything, but it does not require one to reject moderate, beneficial policies in order to reject extremist, detrimental proposals..

[DoughtyOne]

Agreed Willie.

[_Jim]

Dams also create several safety hazards, some of which increase with age. Small dams are sometimes called "drowning machines" because they can create dangerous undertows.

THIS has got to be a crock - BEAVERS have been building THOUSANDS of small dams on creeks and small rivers FOREVER!