Experiencing The Rebirth Of A River

“The first thing we noticed was the amazing clarity of the water. Opponents of the dam removal predicted the river would be constantly dirty with sediment for years to come, and yet, even just days after blowing the last of the upper dam, we had at least eight feet of gorgeous, blue-green-tinted visibility…” By Dylan Tomine.

World’s Largest Dam Removal Unleashes U.S. River

A construction crew on Tuesday detonated a large charge of dynamite, destroying the last remaining portion of Glines Canyon Dam and hastening the restoration of the Elwha River in the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest. Part of the largest dam-removal project in the nation, the $325 million undertaking represents the beginning of a new era for the river.

As Small Hydropower Expands, So Does Caution on Its Impacts

Small hydropower projects have the potential to bring electricity to millions of people now living off the grid. But experts warn that planners must carefully consider the cumulative effects of constructing too many small dams in a single watershed.

Army Corps Of Engineers Agrees To Disclose Dam Pollution

For the first time in its history, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will have to disclose the amount of pollutants its dams are sending into waterways in a groundbreaking legal settlement that could have broad implications for the Corps’ hundreds of dams nationwide.

As Dams Fall, Rapid Changes On Elwha River

The final chunks of concrete are expected to fall this September in the nation’s largest dam-removal project, but nature is already reclaiming the Elwha River on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, as sediment once trapped, now flows downstream replenishing eroding beaches and creating new habitat for marine creatures not observed there in years..

Sand Mafia Behind Sudden Release Of Water?

Environmental activists believe that dam officials are bribed by a sand mafia to open the gates at one go instead of releasing the water slowly, as is being done in other dams. The fast discharge of a huge volume of water leads to large amount of sand getting settled on riverbeds, which dry up fast.