THE DAM TEAM

DHARMENDRA PATEL, BILL TRAN, NIRAV PATEL, DYLAN DELEON

OBJECTIVE

• SERVICE PROJECT

• READING BEAUTIFICATION INC.

• BUSHONG DAM

• RESEARCH PROJECT

• GENERAL INFORMATION ON DAMS

• HOW DO DAMS DAMAGE RIVERS?

• BENEFITS OF DAMS

READING BEAUTIFICATION INC.

• READING BEAUTIFICATION INC. (RBI) IS A LOCAL NON-PROFIT FOUNDED IN 1993 WITH A MISSION TO BE A LEADING ADVOCATE FOR A CLEANER, MORE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF READING.

• THEY DO THIS BY PROVIDING TOOLS, SUPPLIES AND SUPPORT TO CHURCH, NEIGHBORHOOD AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OR ANY GROUP TO PERFORM TARGETED CLEAN-UP AND BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS.

• THEIR LARGEST ANNUAL EVENT IS THE “GREAT AMERICAN CLEAN-UP” HELD EVERY SPRING WITH SUPPORT FOR “KEEP PENNSYLVANIA BEAUTIFUL” OF WHICH RBI IS AN AFFILIATE. WE REGULARLY GET OVER 1,000 VOLUNTEERS OUT FOR THE EVENT, CLEANING TONS OF LITTER FROM OUR STREETS, ALLEYWAYS, PARK AND PUBLIC SPACES.

BUSHONG DAM

• DAM WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1892 TO PROVIDE POWER TO THE “BUSHONG PAPER COMPANY” ON THE BANKS OF THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER NEAR CONFLUENCE POINT.

• DUE TO CHANGES UPSTREAM AND THE ADDITION OF OTHER DAMS AND WATER CONTROL METHODS OVER THE YEARS SINCE THE BUSHONG DAM WAS BUILT, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES CONCLUDE THAT REMOVING THE DAM WILL HAVE LITTLE IF ANY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

• THE DAM IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IT WOULD COST AROUND $559,000.

• THE REMOVAL WOULD COST BETWEEN $225,000 AND $425,000.

RESEARCHPOSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF DAMS

BENEFITS OF DAMS

•RECREATIONDAMS PROVIDE PRIME RECREATIONAL FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. BOATING, SKIING, CAMPING, PICNIC AREAS, AND BOAT LAUNCH FACILITIES ARE ALL SUPPORTED BY DAMS. •FLOOD CONTROLIN ADDITION TO HELPING FARMERS, DAMS HELP PREVENT THE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY CAUSED BY FLOODING. FLOOD CONTROL DAMS IMPOUND FLOODWATERS AND THEN EITHER RELEASE THEM UNDER CONTROL TO THE RIVER BELOW THE DAM OR STORE OR DIVERT THE WATER FOR OTHER USES. FOR CENTURIES, PEOPLE HAVE BUILT DAMS TO HELP CONTROL DEVASTATING FLOODS. •WATER STORAGE (FIRE & FARM PONDS)DAMS CREATE RESERVOIRS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES THAT SUPPLY WATER FOR MANY USES, INCLUDING INDUSTRIAL, MUNICIPAL, AND AGRICULTURAL. •IRRIGATIONTEN PERCENT OF AMERICAN CROPLAND IS IRRIGATED USING WATER STORED BEHIND DAMS. THOUSANDS OF JOBS ARE TIED TO PRODUCING CROPS GROWN WITH IRRIGATED WATER. 

BENEFITS OF DAMS (CONT.)

MINE TAILINGS• THERE ARE MORE THAN 1,300 MINE TAILINGS IMPOUNDMENTS IN THE UNITED

STATES THAT ALLOW THE MINING AND PROCESSING OF COAL AND OTHER VITAL MINERALS WHILE PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT. 

ELECTRICAL GENERATION• THE UNITED STATES IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PRODUCERS OF HYDROPOWER IN THE

WORLD, SECOND ONLY TO CANADA. DAMS PRODUCE OVER 103,800 MEGAWATTS OF RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY AND MEET 8 TO 12 PERCENT OF THE NATION'S POWER NEEDS. HYDROPOWER IS CONSIDERED CLEAN BECAUSE IT DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL WARMING, AIR POLLUTION, ACID RAIN, OR OZONE DEPLETION. 

DEBRIS CONTROL• IN SOME INSTANCES, DAMS PROVIDE ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,

SUCH AS THE RETENTION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND DETRIMENTAL SEDIMENTATION. 

NAVIGATION• DAMS AND LOCKS PROVIDE FOR A STABLE SYSTEM OF INLAND RIVER

TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE HEARTLAND OF THE NATION.

HOW DO DAMS DAMAGE RIVERS?DAMS REDUCE RIVER LEVELS• BY DIVERTING WATER FOR POWER, DAMS REMOVE WATER NEEDED FOR HEALTHY IN-STREAM ECOSYSTEMS. STRETCHES

BELOW DAMS ARE OFTEN COMPLETELY DE-WATERED.DAMS BLOCK RIVERS• DAMS PREVENT THE FLOW OF PLANTS AND NUTRIENTSDAMS FLUCTUATE RESERVOIR LEVELS• PEAKING POWER OPERATIONS CAN CAUSE DRAMATIC CHANGES IN RESERVOIR WATER LEVELS OFTEN UP TO 40 FEET

WHICH DEGRADE SHORELINES AND DISTURB FISHERIES, WATERFOWL, AND BOTTOM-DWELLING ORGANISMS.DAMS DECREASE OXYGEN LEVELS IN RESERVOIR WATERS• WHEN OXYGEN-DEPRIVED WATER IS RELEASED FROM BEHIND THE DAM, IT KILLS FISH DOWNSTREAM.DAMS HOLD BACK SILT, DEBRIS, AND NUTRIENTS• BY SLOWING FLOWS, DAMS ALLOW SILT TO COLLECT ON RIVER BOTTOMS AND BURY FISH SPAWNING HABITAT. SILT

TRAPPED ABOVE DAMS ACCUMULATES HEAVY METALS AND OTHER POLLUTANTS. GRAVEL, LOGS AND OTHER DEBRIS ARE ALSO TRAPPED BY DAMS, ELIMINATING THEIR USE DOWNSTREAM AS FOOD AND HABITAT.

DAM TURBINES HURT FISH• FOLLOWING CURRENTS DOWNSTREAM, FISH CAN BE INJURED OR KILLED BY TURBINES. WHEN FISH ARE TRUCKED OR

BARGED AROUND THE DAMS, THEY EXPERIENCE INCREASED STRESS AND DISEASE AND DECREASED HOMING INSTINCTS.

DAMS INCREASE PREDATOR RISK• WARM, MURKY RESERVOIRS OFTEN FAVOR PREDATORS OF NATURALLY OCCURRING SPECIES. IN ADDITION, PASSAGE

THROUGH FISH LADDERS OR TURBINES INJURE OR STUN FISH, MAKING THEM EASY PREY FOR FLYING PREDATORS LIKE GULLS AND HERONS.

GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT DAMSHOW MANY DAMS ARE THERE IN THE UNITED STATES?• THERE ARE MORE THAN 79,000 DAMS IN THE US. OF THE 79,000 DAMS• APPROXIMATELY 66,000 ARE LOCATED ON RIVERSWHY ARE SOME DAMS BEING REMOVED?• THE COSTS – INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY, AND SOCIO-CULTURAL

IMPACTS – OUTWEIGH THE WHERE THE DAM NO LONGER SERVES ANY USEFUL PURPOSE.

• RESTORING FLOWS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE, REINSTATING THE NATURAL SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENT FLOW,

• ELIMINATING SAFETY RISKS, RESTORING OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECREATION, AND SAVING TAXPAYER MONEY.

WHAT BENEFITS DO DAMS PROVIDE?• DAMS MAY PROVIDE A VARIETY OF BENEFITS, INCLUDING WATER SUPPLY, POWER

GENERATION, FLOOD CONTROL, RECREATION, AND IRRIGATION.

QUESTIONS (CONT.)HOW CAN THE BENEFITS OF A DAM BE REPLACED WHEN IT IS REMOVED?• FLOOD CONTROL CAN OFTEN BE ACCOMPLISHED MORE EFFECTIVELY AND FOR

LESS MONEY BY RESTORING WETLANDS, MAINTAINING RIPARIAN BUFFERS, OR MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN.

IS IT COST EFFECTIVE TO REMOVE A DAM?• DAM REMOVAL CAN BE EXPENSIVE IN THE SHORT TERM• REMOVAL ELIMINATES THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH MAINTENANCE AND

SAFETY REPAIRS.HOW DOES DAM REMOVAL AFFECT FISH?• REMOVING OBSTRUCTIONS TO UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM MIGRATION• RESTORING NATURAL RIVERINE HABITAT• RESTORING NATURAL SEASONAL FLOW VARIATIONS • ELIMINATING UNNATURAL TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS BELOW THE DAM• REMOVING TURBINES THAT KILL FISH

CONCLUSION

• FIVE CORE VALUES:EQUITYSUSTAINABILITYEFFICIENCYPARTICIPATORY DECISION-MAKINGACCOUNTABILITY

• SEVEN PRIORITIES:GAINING PUBLIC ACCEPTANCECOMPREHENSIVE OPTIONS ASSESSMENTADDRESSING EXISTING DAMSRECOGNIZING ENTITLEMENTS AND SHARING BENEFITSENSURING COMPLIANCE AND SHARING RIVERS FOR PEACEDEVELOPMENT AND SECURITY