Glass eels are 3 inch lengths on the skin, so they clarify the heartbeat of a translucent small heart and WR with unexpected power in the palm. They have been running the tide from the HATCH in the Sea Sea Sea to the mouth of the northern part of New York. I saw the kill Creek, a narrow tributary of the Hudson River. That is the location of the fyke net set by a biologist, count The migratory bird eel searches for a transparent and flowing stream to mature and catches them.
It is not considered to be dangerous by the U.S. Fish Wildlife Bureau, but American eels have been historically aggregated for decades. Small number It is the heaviest and most peaceful area in the country in the northeast of the United States. Fishing regulatory authorities believe that stocks have been depleted. But it’s not the only species in trouble here. Alewife and BlueBack’s herring, SHAD, Shortnose and Atlantic Sturgeon, and Atlantic Salmon are all declining in the Northeast River system. In response, various government agencies, private land owners, and environmental groups have cooperated to recover these groups by removing dams that hinder passing.
Since 1912, dam removal has been removed, but the majority has occurred since the mid -2010s, and since the 2021 Superat Infrastructure Law, we have provided funds for such projects and set up steam. I have come. To date, the 806 northeast dam has come down, and there are hundreds of pipelines. 2023 nationwide Basin yearsA total of 80 dam removal. Andrew Fisk, a non -profitable Northeast Director of the U.S. River, said, “The strength and frequency of storm events, and the dramatically reduced sizes of our migratory birds have promoted our efforts. I am. “
After removing the dam, “I see streams recovered to the point where I don’t even know that there is a dam there,” says a ecologist.
The removal of the northeast dam has not attracted the same media as the large -scale takedown on the west coast. Clamas or Elfa。 This is because most of these structures are relatively small and are built into 19.thh A century for forming a pond, forming a pond and powering other types of factories when the region develops into an industrial power.
However, when Mills was abolished, their dam remained. They may be small for humans, but for fish who can’t pass through them, “they are as large as the dam on the Cramas River, Maddy Fever, a riverkeeper habitat repair project manager. Say. new york. There are Maryland and Pennsylvania to the main states 31,213 departure DamOf these, more than 4,000 people are sitting in the Hudson river basin with 13,400 square miles. In many generations, they deteriorated their habitat, changed the flow of sediment and sediment in the downstream, causing algae blooms, creating a warm and stagnant hypoxic pool that prefers intrusion species. Dams also inhibit fish aisles. That’s why the biologist in the mouth of the saw counted the first sodam of the three and then transported glass eels.
The dam will be “cumulative disconnected [a] According to Katie Schmidt, an associate director of the American Rivers’ National Dam removal program: The results of the aquatic species can be enormous. “Especially if the area warms up, if you are trapped under the dam, there may be about a mile in that flow,” says Brian Jeren, Massachusetts Geology. 。 “But if you can’t start it, the population is destined.”
Left: Sokil Creek Dam in Red Hook, New York. Right: Glass eel in a nearby csicing creek.
STAN HONDA / AFP via lela nargi; getty images
Jeremy Dietrich, aquatic ecosologist at the New York State Research Institute, is monitoring the dam site before and after removal. He explains that the environment on the upstream of the intact dam is dominated by vampires, raw insects, small crustaceans, and creatures found in ponds. in 2017 and 2018 The recent evaluation of the removal of the Hudson River Dam also included the restoration of the riverbank to further strengthen the habitat of native species. Therefore, it is used as a bi -indicator. ” “There is this great polarity ecology disease because the barrier cuts the natural connection of the system. [After removal]In general, streams recover to where they did not even know that there was a dam there. ”
Rivers in the United States estimates that 85 % of the US dams are at best unnecessary, and in the worst case, it will take risks to public safety. Non -profit organizations have been involved in the removal of about 1,000 nationwide since 2018, of which 38. However, if the Trump administration keeps the money that has not progressed and is in a hurry to evaluate the potential impact on their work, the state will contribute more to their funds. You will need it.
The low -head dam, where water continues to flow, releases 50 people a year in the United States and unleashes the flow of OWN.
Enthusiasm for such projects has risen among some dam owners, such as state, local governments, and private land owners. In Pennsylvania alone, it has won over 390 dams since 1912. Of these, 107 is 16 feet or more from 2015 to 2023. “Individual real estate owner [say] I own a dam, and the insurance company says I am responsible, “says Fisk. The devastated dams could release potential toxic sediments that threaten both human health and wildlife. Low headdomWater continuously flows, stirring the rebellion current that traps 50 people a year in the United States and makes OWN.
Many studies indicate that the removal of the dam improves aquatic life. Fish passage,, Water quality,, Resourment of basinand Habitat From insects to otter and eagle, for food chain creatures. But removal is not easy. Federal government GrantThe National Marine Automatic Bureau or Fish Wild Birthday supports projects that are listed by the federal government and many river miles. However, even the minimum and simplest projects are the cost of $ 100,000 to $ 3 million. In order to obtain a subsidy qualification, whether it is a federal government or a state, the application is “I need to score smoothly”, saying, “Hudson River, the New York State Environmental Protection Bureau, which cooperates with non -profit organizations such as reversible. Scott capet, led by a basin team in the Kawaguchi program, says. Connect the dam owner to technical support and money. This application is difficult, removing the migratory bird’s habitat, reducing the effects of floods, reducing the evaluation of sedimentary and feasible potential, plans for planting riverbanks, permissions, design, and legislators and neighbors. You can request reducing the support letters.
This can all be overwhelming for the dam owner. Therefore, stakeholders hope that additional surveys will help to relax some of the requirements. In 2020, Jelen published a study simulating the removal of 1,702 dams in the lower Hudson basin, and tried to determine how much sediment would be released when a precipitation descended. He said, “The majority of dams actually do not trap the sediment much.” That’s good news. This is because the sediment released to the Hudson does not permanently worsen the water quality, does not suffocate underwater vegetation or accumulate in harmful places. And it said, “You don’t have to invest a huge amount of time or effort [costly] “Sediment management plan,” says Jelen. It is “work of a one -day excavation machine to remove concrete and rocks, rather than filling the sand.”
However, research on the impact of sediment quality It is still lacking. The deposits trapped behind the dam of the felt factory with wool may contain mercury, for example. This may, even if the polluted sediment is removed, the state environmental institution may remove the removal plan. “
In the cosmic creek, where the dam appeared in 2020, American eels and boy blue crabs are already moving.
On a sunny winter afternoon, Riverkeeper Feaster stands in a thick mud next to Newberg, New York. Struck felt a dam Seven initials Dams owned by local governments downstream of the 18 -mile tributary were destroyed by state money in 2020. The second dam, called Holden, is scheduled to get off in late 2025. The removal has not been funded yet. “This was incorporated into FLOOD rugged,” she says.
The community support for the first three dam removal was high. However, it may be difficult to remove the fourth dam with Muchattoes Lake. With a height of 23 feet, it is a serious obstacle to eel aisles. However, the reservoir provides people in a nearby town to make kayaks and fish. In other words, the Feaster team means cutting out the work to convince them the benefits of removal.
There is also an ecological reason to leave the dam as it is. In the case of a pike, which is an aggressive sports fish, “confronting the headwaters” in the Penobscot River in the main state, the removal of two dams in 2012 and 2013 resumed 2,000 miles. Fish species with 12 sea runningFisc says, “Enjoy all of these wild Brook Trouts.” Several solutions in these examples: Place the dam at a predetermined position and set up a ladder that organizes other invaders such as pikes, lock -based catfish.
Quassaick Creek is free after removing the Strooks Felt Dam in Newberg, New York.
Jesse Ditz
Quassaick has improvements clear After the Strooks dam came out. American eel and boy’s blue crabs are already moving. In fact, the return of the fish may be observed within a few minutes after opening the aisle. Schmidt states: “We were dealing with the river where you are deleting the project. If the last work comes out, the fish will attack immediately.”
The invasive knotweed is lined up in Creek Bank near Walsh Road Dam, but on the nearby dark vert, riverbank, and New York. Trees for tribes Initiative has recently planted 105 young yanagi and other conventional trees. After the dam comes down, similar planting prevents erosion, and provides shades to cool the stream and fall leaves and oxygen. “It’s really important to remove barriers to confirm that the whole area will recover,” says Katherine Boseck, a national fish -dori program coordinator in the northeast of the Fish Wild Born Bureau. When the riverbank is often saved himself, he says, “But we want to confirm that we are managing invasive species that can come in.”
There is an obvious impatience between environmental protectionists and dam owners, to get more removal in the northeast. To that end, the collaborator is working on rationalization of the process. For example, Fish and Wildlife Service has formed a fish -passing task force between other federal agencies and ministries, including NOAA and FEMA, which are unique to the removal of DAM. American Rivers is working with local partners to provide the greatest benefits of the environment and safety, and develop a priority list of dams that expand the river miles as the most important species. “We don’t intend to delete all dams,” says Schmidt. “But we have a really thoughtful and influential thing that we chose to delete.”
