I was doing some surfing today and found these old photos of the inside mechanics of the Croton Dam on the Muskegon River. The argument about dams has two very distinct sides. One side is all about resources, that being clean electricity and water for various uses. The other side is all about not messing with mother nature and letting rivers run free. I hate to say I am on the fence on this one, because I am usually not on the fence about anything.
The way I see it is that we would not have several world class fisheries without them, including the Muskegon and the Big Horn. And if we can produce some clean power and cold water for some folks, even better. The other side of me says don't mess with it and let the water run free. Take the Yellowstone River in Montana. It's the longest free flowing river in the U.S. until it meets it's confluence with the Missouri. Talk about a great fishery as well.
Consumers Energy in Michigan has done a great job of managing the various different opinions involved. On the Croton Dam, they switched to bottom flows several years ago. This past year they installed a "bubbler", essentially a device that circulates the water behind the dam to create draws that produce a more constant, cooler flow. I was impressed by the progress this year already. Cooler water, less weeds, and better hatches. Thanks to CE for working with all factions to solve theses issues. The politics out west are more intense because of the pure need for water for human use.
As the old saying goes, Whiskey is for drinking, Water is for fighting!
As the old saying goes, Whiskey is for drinking, Water is for fighting!
That's all for now.
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