Dam Decision

Many people think that dams are a good thing for the environment. This is not entirely true. There are far more negative than positive things that dams create. There are problems created with the environment, that only benefit the economy, which in result, hurt the environment more. Also the creation of dams makes it extremely hard for natural things living in ecosystems to survive.

The purpose of a dam is to conserve water for a town or community and for power. With the construction of a dam, there is going to be a community living there. This means more construction will take place and the environment will be destroyed to make way for buildings and roads. The problem with holding water back from it’s natural flow is that when the dam is built to hold water, it technically floods the upper region. This changes what once was a river, into a lake. The species of life that once lived there can no longer cope with the changing conditions, and this can cause them to become extirpated from that region. Different species move into the lake, and new niches are made, stolen and filled, causing competition for food sources. The construction of dams also affects the lower regions of the river. What used to be a normal river is now a stream that changes its water levels with the opening and closing of the dam. The frequent water level changes make it extraordinarily hard for species to maintain balance in the new ecosystem. A lot of fish are being killed with the release of water from dams. The water in the river below the dam is usually one constant temperature, but the water released from the dam almost always comes from the bottom of the lake. This is cold water being poured into a warm river, this creates a problem that most fish can’t cope with, so as a result they die. Also, the river used to bring debris, algae, dead fish and other nutrients down the river to sustain life, but now the dams are there and everything is being blocked. One large species that suffers is the salmon. The salmon have to swim up stream to their natural birth place to spawn. This was always up the normal river, but now that dams are built the fish can no longer go to their safe, secure, spawning grounds. Some dams have built fish ladders, but they don’t know how to use them because they are not natural. The result has been a severe decrease in salmon numbers in any dammed river.

The other reason for building dams is to create good scenery. The massive lake on one side, and the sheer drop off and view of the landscape are sure to attract tourists. More tourists means the town will build more places for them to stay and more attractions will be built in the community. This means clear cutting and the environment will once again be destroyed.

All of this has to do with money. Money is the source of all problems. Dams are built to create power and attract tourists. Bigger communities will be made, and more money will be raked into the little town. Money is the downfall of the environment, and with the construction of dams the environment has suffered so much more.

In conclusion, dams aren’t a good thing to have. It changes entire ecosystems and helps extirpate certain species of animals and plants that are important. We shouldn’t ever build another dam because it will destroy the environment, and with global warming it’s already fragile enough without them.