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Why are dams less popular now than they once were? Is it because they are “eyesores”, or perhaps they cost too much to build and maintain?

There’s one not too far from here, as a matter of fact, and the lake behind it is very popular in the summer time with the local populace. We usually go up a couple times a year to go swimming.

Probably because of all of the problems they cause. Unfortunately, when dams are built with no forethought, they cause alot of ecological problems down stream. Because a damn stops the flow of water, it also stops the flow of sediment, biological life and many other things. This can cause fish populations to die and the fertility of the land down stream to suffer.

Fo instance do some research on the Nile river. It was once supper fertile all along that river, but then it was dammed (literally) and downstream from that damn the land became desolate.

On a positive note, we do now have the knowledge to damn rivers for hydroelectric power, while minimzing these effects downstream.

As I posted in my other topic in this sub forum, there are countless other sources that could be used to the same effect, if only people cared to. I really do not see why people are not interested in tapping this kind of unending power source.

I have no idea what has happened to dams. They used to be made all the time but now it seems to be something that is dying off. Some research into this topic would probably find a lot of reasons why.

In Montana (in the small city I lived in) we had at least 3 dans, and I never thought they looked bad. (Its called the electric city because of that)

It hasn’t hurt the fish that I know of. You can fish anywhere they and get something (if you have patients for fishing in a river :x )

I think a couple have people have died because they got caught in the dam, but it could have been just the undertow, or them not swimming well.

Well people also get concerned about them because they can block the migration of aquatic organisms. If you put a damn in the middle of their river they get trapped on one side.

No, fish can go through them unharmed. I’m sure I have seen fish go through a dam at Holter Lake.

Some fish can but what about things like otters and etc. Not all organisms can get thriugh dams and it depends on what kind of dam it is if any fish can.

Otters can get out of the water, and go around if they really need to get to the other side.

This information has been very informative.  I was thought dams were good, used to make electricity.  I never thought that they could be causing harm to the environment.  My concern has always been if they break that all of the water could wash out and harm areas.

I still think dams are the best. How often do you hear about dams breaking? I haven’t, other than on that commercial where he plugs a hole with gum.

Maybe dams aren’t the best, but they are a lot better then some alternatives…