Good news from Maryland; they took out a small dam and opened five more miles of the Potomac. If they can do it there, we can do it here…
(AP) CUMBERLAND, Md. Fish will be free to spawn in a five-mile section of the Potomac River after Tuesday’s removal of a rock dam in the river’s North Branch near Cumberland. The work will demolish a structure ten feet high and 220 feet wide that once impounded water used by a PPG plate-glass factory that closed in 1992.
Read more: Dam Removal Opens Potomac River Section To Fish
[tags]potomac river, dam removal[/tags]
What a surprise. I didn’t think much ever got done on the Potomac! In all seriousness we also had one taken out on the Rappahannock in Fredericksburg (hope the shad noticed), a few little ones on the Susquehanna, and further west I see the Milltown Dam at Missoula is underway. Let’s hope it’s catching!
Trent Bentzel(Quote)
Always nice to see the more destructive dams go away. Now it’s time for the Klamath dams to come down…
Tom Chandler(Quote)
This is actually Maryland’s third removal this year! About a week before work began on the PPG Dam, the state removed the Raven Rock Dam on a trib to the Potomac. As I’m sure you know, these removals are happening all across the country (roughly 30-40 a year).
Through the American Rivers partnership with NOAA’s Community-based Restoration Program we were able to fund a portion of the PPG removal and about 100 projects over the past 6 years.
We’ve got more money available! Our next funding round ends December 3rd. If you know of any good dam removal projects in need of funding, be sure to send them our way at http://www.AmericanRivers.org/noaagrants.
Serena(Quote)
Serena, I’m overjoyed and grateful but given the water quality in the region and this watershed in particular (my home water is downriver; I guided the system for ten years) I think you’re planning for a rosy scenario of a future. The Potomac up at Cumberland may be healthy but the middle sections, once some of the best smallmouth habitat I’ve ever seen, are badly affected by every form of runoff and agricultural pollution we know and a few we don’t know. 100 million chickens can’t be wrong.
So knock them down, but free-flowing isn’t the only criterion for a healthy river.
Dave
DaveM(Quote)
I thought the Potomac was a shining example of the Clean Water Act; bass being caught within sight of the capital, populations rebounding everywhere…
Has it slid backwards from that rosy picture, or was the middle section never quite so recovered?
Tom Chandler(Quote)
Dave –
I’m most certainly not discounting the water quality problems plaguing rivers across our nation. However, it doesn’t mean we stop work on restoring what we can. Dam removal is my bailiwick, which is why I responded, but there are tons of people fighting hard to improve our nation’s water quality…just take my own organization and their work on introducing and passing a sewage right-to-know bill.
Also, in certain environments, dam removal has been shown to improve water quality (dissolved oxygen, ph) by restoring the natural flow regime.
Serena(Quote)
Well here’s my take. First off, kudos to the folks taking the dams out. I think it’s great! I fish the Potomac a good bit and see it as maybe 4+ ecosystems. The headwaters including the N.Branch has incedible trout water. Yes, Mine acid problems, but great water. The Army Corp controls tailwater flows for kayaking and fish quality but occasionally the Nitrogen pounds out the insect life. The lower is tidal and stiper water on the Chesapeake. The middle is questionable. The area around DC is Largemouth water and is supposedly good. But from there up there are sewage and agri-runoff issues from what I hear. Used to be good smallmouth water but like my home water on the Susquehanna, it’s been hit hard by bad ka-ka runoff and the water seems to be regressing to what it was years ago. None of this helps The Bay and it’s sad to see once healthy, viable water starting to fade.
Trent Bentzel(Quote)
Trent’s point is mine. And I’m certainly pro-dam removal and never intended to downplay the accomplishments of Serena and her bailiffs. The tidal portion of the Potomac is a dramatic example of the power of the CWA; when I was growing up any contact with the water was considered a medical hazard. Now it’s routinely used for high profile bass tournaments (and snakehead tourneys ( http://www.nbc4.com/news/5082848/detail.html
). The upriver water quality is affected by development runoff and industrial intensive agriculture, especially poultry farming, that is supported by lax (really, nonexistent) regulation and enforcement in VA and WVA.
Knock ‘em all down. Serena, post your organization’s contacts, please.
Dave
DaveM(Quote)
Not only our air but the water in the watershed is threatened by too much coal burned for power. A carbon emission disaster is unfolding right under our noses. Local media coverage has been scant and narrow.
Dominion Power is the sole provider of electricity in Northern Virginia. Big, powerful, arrogant, old school.
Wants to build a 250+ transmission line so that it can buy cheap dirty coal-fired power (from some of the dirtiest generators in the country) and sell it cheap up the line .
They say they need to do it to “keep the lights on†in Northern Virginia.
Every outside industry expert … not just our greenie friends .. say that Dominion can take care of the need (yes, growing) through more responsible means …conservation and efficiency, combined with techniques (this is the eyes glaze over part) that other more progressive companies use already (distributed generation, demand-side management…Google those terms) and alternative fuels.
The only people activated are folks in more rural areas who are offended that the transmission line required (so say Dominion) would be made up of hundreds of 15-story power towers. Offensive yes. But what no one is focused on here in town is that Dominion is stuck in its ways and had no desire to get with the program, as far as reducing carbon emissions goes.
They have to apply to the Commonwealth of Virginia for permission to do this. Deadline for public comment is December 14. We’re an organization with a website that makes it very easy to email the state officials.
Sure would love your help in getting the word out. Anyone in DC area who cares about the environment can have so much more impact by objecting to this proposal, than a box full of fluorescent lights bulbs and recycling water bottles (not that there’s anything wrong with that!).
Website: http://www.virginiascommitment.org Check out blog.
David Jeffers(Quote)