topic Re: Two obsolete dams removed in Oregon in Community Chat

Two obsolete dams removed in Oregon

GingerPeach — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 02:47:02 GMT

Another bit of good news from Earthjustice - two obsolete dams were taken down in southern Oregon (just southwest [sorry, southeast] of the Coos Bay area), opening Evans Creek for salmon and other fish. The dams had been in place over 75 years.

http://earthjustice.org/blog/2015-august/the-dance-of-the-dammed?utm_source=crm&utm_content=Dambutton&curation=ebrief

Re: Two obsolete dams removed in Oregon

HappyDaze — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 18:37:45 GMT

EXCELLENT!

Unfortunately, California will undo all the good other places are doing by INCREASING the number of dams they have since they (wrongly so) think the solution to their water issues is to dam up the whole state!

Re: Two obsolete dams removed in Oregon

GingerPeach — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 19:10:13 GMT

Regretfully, I got outvoted, @HappyDaze

Perhaps California will come to its senses. Storing surface water does not seem like the best idea when there are other options. The Sierra Club has some good points on the issue.

Re: Two obsolete dams removed in Oregon

Another new name Sue — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 21:45:10 GMT

If you are interested in this topic, you might enjoy the Netflix movie Dam Nation. (It might be one word on Netflix.)

Re: Two obsolete dams removed in Oregon

million bells — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 22:52:18 GMT

Woowzer.....those two dams were obsolete and hadn't been used for irrigation for years and years. No one here was opposed to removing them. The dams are no where near Coos Bay. Evans Creek flows into the Rogue River between Medford and Grants Pass. There was no opposition so therefore bragging about the removal does not favor any "side" of the environmental question. They were simply old and crumbling and the state removed them.

Re: Two obsolete dams removed in Oregon

GingerPeach — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 02:48:03 GMT

Did you read the article?

I didn't say they were "near" Coos Bay. I said they were southeast (I had southwest - that was a mis-type) of the Coos Bay area. So why did it take so long to remove them if there was no opposition? According to the article, the "authorities" didn't do anything for a very, very long time. And now it's done. So why be cranky about it?

Re: Two obsolete dams removed in Oregon

HappyDaze — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 03:08:36 GMT

I don't care what the reason is that they finally did it, I am just glad they finally DID! If only they had done it earlier but I am sure politics were somehow involved. It is always is in situations like this. You'd actually be amazed at how many smaller, obsolete dams are still out there. I used to go to one as a teenager to swim with a bunch of friends. It is really a shame they haven't removed more of them as they will only help to benefit the wildlife and fish. It is all about the $$ though- they don't want to spend the money to do it.