A real dammed delemma

[lupine52]

So I was reading a story today about the Colorado river and Glen Canyon Dam the one that creates Lake Powell.  The article says that the dam has helped prevent smallmouth bass deemed an invasive species from attacking humpback chub a threatened species that lives in the river below the dam

Comments

[sabotlours]

I feel as though you're almost baiting me with this one. *lol* Yes, Glen Canyon Dam has been controversial ever since it was proposed. It flooded a magnificent canyon system that was accessible to a few thousand hikers and rafters. The reservoir, however, opened up the area for millions to enjoy. It's still beautiful, but artificial.

The main purpose of any reservoir is to store water in times of plenty to use in times of drought. That's exactly what has happened (is happening). In the 80's there were terrific floods on the Colorado system, so much they almost lost the dam. And now after 30 years of drought the reservoir is just about empty. It has kept the West growing during all of this time. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? It depends on who you ask. Me, it makes more sense to have people live in the desert than it is to bury rich farmlands of the Midwest under concrete.

In terms of the fish, yes, the chub is a "garbage fish" and it was through Man's actions that it has become endangered. It's mostly by the dam changing the whole aquatic ecosystem going from a warm sediment-rich system to a cold clear system better suited for trout which people like because they're tasty. So, yeah, we feel bad that we're killing off a species, so we do whatever we can to make sure they can survive. I deal with my own endangered species. There are some that say they are the barometers of the ecosystem. Yeah, they may be. But if you can't survive in the current circumstances, then maybe your time has come. If you're THAT specialized, then maybe you're a little too specialized. Nature favors the mutt.

[lupine52]

I appreciate your insight, and thanks for taking the time to comment.

it was nice to see things from your POV :-)