Who is behind it
This crazy idea, in addition to a cabal
of the major "environmental" organizations, is touted by all three of our
(needing removal) federal congressional representatives, Senator Patty
Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, and Congressman Norm Dicks. (Norm is especially
interested because of his ties to the friends of Wildlife) The idea
is the darling of most of the liberal print press, including the
Peninsula
daily news (Port Angeles) and the two Seattle dailies. It has
also been promoted by all three Seattle TV stations - - in other words
those who claim to "know best" for the Olympic Peninsula.
Why do it?
The reason given is the Illogical, unsupported
claim that removing those dams would created a huge run of salmon in the
Elwha river. This idea absolutely ignores the fact that none of the
several other peninsula rivers without dams have good salmon runs, and
specifically ignores the tremendous over fishing (Human and animal) in
the Pacific Ocean which is clearly the major reason for the overall shortage
of salmon. And it further overlooks the fact that the major spawning ground
in the Elwha is below the dams and always has been The facts clearly contradict
this notion - - but "facts" are of no interest to the dam busters.
Their prediction of huge numbers of salmon to come to the Elwha is carefully
couched in time - - 30 years hence - - after
the dam busters are comfortably ensconced in their retirement and not available
to answer any questions about why the huge runs failed to materialize.
So, they have sold a great "pie in the sky" story.
Why not do it?
The enormous load of silt and other solids
(nearly a century's accumulation) that will be released by destruction
of the dams and lakes will almost certainly have a huge NEGATIVE impact
on salmon runs, as well as trout in the river. Destruction of
the dams means destruction of the lakes they have created, which will mean
destruction of a great deal of excellent waterfowl and fresh water mammal
habitat. (About 48,000 acre feet of fresh water storage) [The lakes
are winter habitat to trumpeter swans, along with about 20 other waterfowl
species - many of them nesting around the lakes] There is a high probability
(unable to be assessed) that these lakes are contributing to some of the
aquifers that many folks wells depend on. (fault line runs right across
the upper lake, (bottom pressure in excess of 9000lbs per sq ft ) The dams
produce clean, constantly naturally renewed electrical energy which will
have to be provided from other sources - probably combustion of carbon
compounds. The Port Angeles paper mill is proposing a hi-temp boiler
to produce power from wood waste - the enviros are suing to stop idea too.
They just do not want any industry on the peninsula.
The Cost
Nobody really has much of an idea as to
the cost. The initial cost estimate was $329 Million. This
figure included clean-up. After a while, the park sevice decided
that if they eliminated clean-up they could come up with a much smaller
estimate. But, nobody can be quite sure what damage all that solid
material will do in the way of flooding so the change to quoting a small
figure just ads to already huge uncertainties. The deal is actually
being carried out, these costs will no doubt have to be paid - - but, under
a different appropriation. So, we will never actually know what the
costs were. No doubt at least half to 3/4 billion $. Since
no such project has ever been done before, we can only await the completion
to evaluate costs (which will be difficult, since the whole job was and
will be done under different appropriations)
What is going on
Eighteen years after congress passed the
law specifying the dams should be purchased and destroyed, a group headed
up by Dr. Brian Winter continued to (at taxpayer expense) "study" how to
accomplish the destruction, but little has been done for salmon.
Each year for six or seven, they announced a one-year delay.
Then, they announced a five-year delay to 2011. It appears that the
park service was too much in love with the millions they got for the power,
now that they own the dams (My inside info says the company netted nine
million dollars profit off the electricity the last year they owned the
dams). The job is just a little tricky. They claim they are
going to "rework the river bottom" to take care of a 75 foot waterfall
at the lower and something similar at the upper dam. (Salmon can
jump, but they can't fly) You can't "rework" a river bottom without
first diverting the river.
How to get out of the mess
A simple solution to helping out the salmon
would be to build fish ladders at both dams. This could be done for
about $12 million - a pittance compared to what they have already spent
and are spending. This could bring some almost immediate improvement
to the salmon population. However, there is not much quiet water
above the dams. Salmon only spawn in quiet water. The way to really
help the salmon population would be to stop netting the river.
Conclusion
Clearly, "Salmon" is not the object or
focus of the project. It is a word that resonates with the public,
so it is being used. These "environmentalists" clearly care not for
fish - or waterfowl - or clean fresh water - or "alternative
energy". For over three decades they have opposed and blocked all
efforts to build fish ladders at the dams. Those fish ladders would
have been an immediate assist to the salmon population, but would have
taken away their claim to be doing the project "for salmon". The
project seems to be a child of "The Wildlands Project" (authored by Dave
(Earth First) Forman and Reed Noss. Now operating under the name,
"Wild Olympics".
These swans (world's largest waterfowl often
attaining six feet in heigth), come to Lake Aldwell each winter from their
homes in the North. Once the dams and lake are destroyed, we will
see no more swans.
Home video of Elwha Salmon shot Sixty years
after the dams were built. 12 - 14 salmon generations, the Elwha still
teamed with salmon
Earnie.wmv
A LIST of birds who now use the
lakes which are to be destroyed - From a Gov't sponsored professional report
BIRDS THAT MUST GO