The Susitna River Dam - A bad idea rises in Alaska

While the rest of the world is doing their best to remove aging dams, the State of Alaska is proposing to build a giant new one on Alaska's Sustina River.

The State of Alaska is pressing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to license a 735-foot high dam and hydroelectric plant on the Susitna (at a projected cost of $5.2 billion), which would drastically alter the river’s physical characteristics and create a 42-mile long, up to 5-mile wide reservoir that would flood approximately 25,000 acres of pristine wilderness, an area larger than the island of Manhattan.

LINK (via: The NRDC)

Elwha dam teardown resumes with a bang

Contractors have resumed removing the final 50 feet of the Glines Canyon Dam on the Elwha River. Explosives were used to further lower the dam that was once 210 feet tall and three more blasts next year will be needed to complete the demolition.

LINK (via: The Seattle Times)

Unfortunately due to the federal government shutdown all the dam webcams are offline.

The Demolition of the Veazie Dam

Steven Shepard of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service created a slideshow of the Veazie Dam removal on the Penobscot River that shows timing and photos of each section of the demolition project.

LINK (via: Nature Conservancy)

Dam Cam

Some serious dam fish action going on at Bonneville.

The ratio of hatchery-reared salmon compared with wild-hatched salmon were not available

One year after chinook were sighted— the first in 100 years — in the Elwha River above the site of the former Elwha Dam, adult chinook again have been spotted above the dam site, about 8 miles west of Port Angeles.

LINK (via:Peninsula Daily)

Teton Canyon – A Wild Legacy at Risk

From The Story Group

Thirty-three years ago, the earthen dam holding back the Teton River near Rexburg, Idaho failed, barely one year after its construction. Now, Idaho is looking at rebuilding this dam, once again drowning a wild river canyon and closing off a vital wildlife corridor. Is it worth the billion dollar price tag or are there better ways to meet Idaho's water needs? This video produced by The Story Group examines the arguments.