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.

A Beach Project Built on Sand; By Robert S. Young, PhD

Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced a $207 million plan to dredge millions of tons of sand off the south shore of Long Island and spread it along the beaches and dunes. It is a colossal waste of money and another consequence of the nation’s failure to develop a coherent plan to address the risks from storms faced by states along the eastern seaboard and gulf coast.

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.

Kenya Launches Giant Lamu Port Construction Project

A Chinese firm, China Communication Construction Company, has signed a $478.9 million deal to construct three berths at Kenyan Indian Ocean port of Lamu. The port, at completion, will have 32 berths. The project involves dredging shallow inland channels and felling shoreline-stabilizing mangrove forests.