As a 70 yr ( not old) man I am amazed at learning something new that I never knew before. Wish this was taught in schools. Thanks again and keep up the good work.

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching, glad I could help!

This is some of the best dam coverage I’ve ever seen. How these dam videos haven’t brought you more of a flood of subscribers is beyond me…you’ve got a great reservoir of information just bursting with great stories!

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Haha, thank you! You're puns certainly aren't falling on deaf ears! (That was a bit of a stretch, but I'm sticking with it)

@mcqueenx75

2 жыл бұрын

Clickbait. Misleading.

@cjadventures8840

Жыл бұрын

@@mcqueenx75 but still, informational

@ronnielsen5969

Жыл бұрын

Because he cries too much

@calebbannister

Жыл бұрын

Punny!

“This dam narrative” 😂

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Haha, I was hoping at least one person got a kick out of that one! It made me laugh, so it made the final cut 😂

@Nevir202

2 жыл бұрын

I noticed too. Definitely got a chuckle.

@doinadventures1282

2 жыл бұрын

Dam it! Make a lake! 😂

@miningflame9847

2 жыл бұрын

God dam it! You stole my comment 🤣

@guardrailbiter

2 жыл бұрын

It was good. Thus "a dam good narrative."

I grew up in Seattle, hiking and skiing with my family year after year, in the Cascades and the Olympics. The longest hike we took was up the Elwha River into the Olympic National Forest. This was in the late 1960s when the Elwha Dam was still standing. I don't remember the lake behind the dam but I remember clearly following the trail along the Elwha beyond the lake, all the way into the mountains. My memories are of the river well above the dam, where it was running free. We caught trout and ate them for dinner. We had a base camp just below the treeline in the heart of the National Forest, and my father and brother and I hiked from there up into alpine meadows, while my mother, sister, grandmother and great aunt stayed behind at camp. We continued hiking up the rocks and scrub next into increasingly bare rock and scree, had lunch next to a snowfield (in August) with a view of a good portion of the Olympic range. I remember the wind gusting off the sun-baked rocks and the snowfield, alternating between hot breeze and cold winds off the snow. We skinny-dipped in a depression in the rocks that was filled with huge tadpoles, then glissaded down the snow field. These are some of the really vivid memories of my growing up. I'm so glad that the lower Elwha now will have a chance to return to the kind of river I remember from that hike.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

That's wonderful, so glad you got to experience that! Hopefully many others will now as well!

There was a dam on the Sandy River in Oregon that was over 100 years old when it was removed. Now, driving along the road that parallels the river, you can barely notice where the old damn and reservoir were. It literately changed in one season. Such an amazing transformation on the Sandy and Elwah Rivers. I hope these removals continue.

@Korina42

2 жыл бұрын

Nature can do amazing things, given half a chance.

@kimjones2056

Жыл бұрын

Good luck when you don’t have drinking water. Don’t forget New Orleans would not exist without dams.

@bennyg6115

Жыл бұрын

Then it probably shouldn’t exist in the first place

I live in NW Oregon. THANK YOU for covering this. I have been working with local groups who are talking with city hall and working on protecting old growth forest zones that ive hiked and found and photographed near the edge of town where they are cutting new roads through popular forests when there is so many other places to develop. I'm not against development, i just want to use the best land for development for development and keep the old growth forest and natural habitats that are flourishing because the entire town utilizes these nature areas as hiking, hobbies, study zones, etc. I have been also focusing on how important it would be to rewild Beavers into our ecosystem since we had unprecedented forest fires recently and it will improve so much more. Utilizing so much more of our waterways that currently are just being drains and not flourishing. 2nd to that finally cones the dam removal, so we can get our flourishing Salmon back! Lampreys as well are a great food, nutrition source. And even tho its known for rain here, we have been getting drastically less rain then we used to.. and its been a lot hotter so more marshy wetlands or windy creek systems in areas would be great and the animals would love it then it would greatly improve our quality of life 👍🏼🌎♻️🧬🦫🌲🪵🍂🍄🌱🌹🥀♻️✌🏼

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Ben, thanks for watching. That sounds like an awesome project you've got going on up there, keep up the good work and best of luck!

@WootTootZoot

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Ben, I'm a fellow Oregonian (Central Oregon), I like your thinking.

@WootTootZoot

2 жыл бұрын

@laughing Atyou That's an over simplified idea. Rivers that flow to the ocean, with fish habitat, need to be kept flowing for more than just one reason. The Colorado River is dying because of the dams, it doesn't even reach the sea, it just dies in a mosquito plagued bog that wasn't there 100 years ago.

@GreatNW

2 жыл бұрын

I live in SW Oregon, stay in the north.

Hard to wrap my head around how one guy's business plan held a whole river and way of life basically under siege for 100 years before his efforts were reversed. Really appreciate your research and how you present ideas as well as their effects. Also, as a Washingtonian I'm so glad to hear the salmon are coming back.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching, glad you found it helpful! I'm not even from the PNW, but I'm so happy the salmon are coming back too. It just seems right.

@thornil2231

2 жыл бұрын

It's called the American History. There are thousands of examples. A country built on greed, disregard for nature and the native people, and exploitation of the new comers and the slaves...

@robertturtle

2 жыл бұрын

He was a white guy.

@dm9078

2 жыл бұрын

😂😂😂

@TheMadYetti

Жыл бұрын

@@robertturtle and? in your eyes, only white people bad, right? maybe read something else than twitter

The Elwha is one of my favorite places to go backpacking. I'm happy to see the river running free again.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Same!

I never cease to be amazed (and reassured) by how nature can heal itself if humans just stop messing with it.

@soaringvulture

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah. Things are gonna be great after the damn humans kill themselves off.

@cw4608

2 жыл бұрын

In the end nature will win. So sad about all the species we have driven to extinction.

As someone who was there, when they removed the dam, it was incredible to see that much water disappear

I have lived here in Washington since 1958 and I have fished the Strait of Juan De Fuca most of my life . When I heard they were going to remove the 2 dams on the Elhwa I was jumping for joy. With salmon runs declining in Puget Sound it was time to bring back the river that had 70 pound salmons in the past before the dams. Just like the rivers on the West side of the Olympics , Let it run free.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Very cool, I'm sure you're not the only happy one either! I'm from the East Coast, but I appreciate a good free-flowing river too!

@drewpackman2929

2 жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries you're from the east coast yet you consider yourself an expert and qualified to pronounce policy on rivers in the Northwest? Unbelievable!

@thewildcardperson

2 жыл бұрын

@@drewpackman2929 yup its called being American elitist your probably from California shut your mouth

So, I've been getting a lot of comments on this video about lost power generation and I just wanted to clear some things up. Combined, the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams only generated about 50% of the necessary power for a single pulp mill in Port Angeles, according to the National Park Service www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/elwha-faq.htm Their generating capacity was simply not enough for the region as a whole to be affected and no one will have to forego electricity use as a result of their removal.

@TheSequimKid

Жыл бұрын

@@tim_dillon Between the Bonnevile Dam, the Coulee Dam, and the wind turbines on the east side of Washington state our power needs are met almost entirely by renewables. The Elena dams weren’t providing any significant power anyways.

@brianjohnston4207

5 ай бұрын

I'm not a fan of removing all dams but the ones on the Elwha were perfect candidates for removal.

I actually live a few miles from the Elwha and I love hearing this story over and over lol I know it will take time, but the rivers recovery has gone great and the salmon numbers keep going up and up. A couple more years at this rate and it will be fishable again.

I walk the Elwha often. I am so grateful for the restoration.

I am very happy to see the world realising how important the ecosystem actually is. I recently applied for a park ranger studie and got selected.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Congratulations, that's awesome!

Another superb piece of American history. Very well narrated with loads of intersting detail. Thankyou very much, Colin, Yorkshire, UK.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much Colin, glad you enjoyed it!

I'm no zealot on dam removals, but in the case of the Elwha, there was tremendous spawning habitat above the dams. This was a rather easy case for removal. It will be interesting for Hetch Hetchy because that is a main water source for the Bay Area. Exposing rocks and cliffs for aesthetic reasons is not in the same league as the Elwha. Same with Glen Canyon dam with huge hydro power generation, storage and recreation on Lake Powell.

@Chocoboranger

2 жыл бұрын

Reservoir powel. Lakes are natural.

@protipskiptoendofvideoandr286

2 жыл бұрын

@@Chocoboranger Tempe Arizona, there is a man made lake but keep going

@ogzombieblunt4626

2 жыл бұрын

Dam also effect how silty the water is and how the river naturally winds which could put certain species at a disadvantage. There are other ecological impacts too like altering the temperature, depths, oxygen levels...

@thornil2231

2 жыл бұрын

@@Chocoboranger what's the difference between people putting up a dirt dam and nature pilling dirt in a rock slide?

@xmeano

2 жыл бұрын

@@thornil2231 One is maintained and the other naturally degrades. Also if you want to get into landslides blocking rivers take a look into why the hills are so empty and not covered in old growth riparian ecosystems

I live not that far from the river drainage which the Elwa River is located. I first saw that dam back in 1997 and being in the fisheries program in the 80's, knew the problems associated with habitat and river flow for migrating fish. It is a shame we have so many of these impediments for fish, but like your series suggests this is changing. You do a great service for people to understand nature and the true balance we are trying now to achieve. Thank you. Johnne in Clallam Bay WA.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Johnne, glad you're enjoying everything!

Again, great visuals and commentary - I have watched most parts of this series. Thank you so much for doing this work!

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it!

That is interesting, in Scotland we have Hydro Dams with salmon ladders. It means that the power output is reduced, but the salmon can travel freely.

@CaptainHightop

2 жыл бұрын

All of the dams where salmon run in the Pacific Northwest have fish ladders, but fish ladders absolutely do not allow salmon to "travel freely". They are still a major impediment to migration.

I grew up in New England in the 60 s and 70s and there was a dam in my town which is still there. There was also canals behind said dam to power the mills. This was used before electricity. They used the water power to turn belts to drive paper machines. Dams were common and always viewed as a good thing. Then again with were simple minded. Our town had its own electric power company and our rates were low. We also had a coal power plant. The dam had a fish lift for the shad and strippers. They tried to bring back the salmon but it failed. The coal plant is gone and it’s now a solar farm, the dam is still there. They gave up on the salmon years ago. People use the water behind the dam for recreation and if the dam was ever removed the people would lose their minds. I never realized all the environmental issues the dams caused. Again we were simple minded people with a lack of information. Great video and as someone who now loves the natural world enjoyed this. Who knows maybe someday my hometown river can be set free. Maybe the salmon would come back. Take care

@furripupau

Жыл бұрын

One has to keep in mind that when most of these were built, the alternatives were basically coal fired plants (or in the early days, wood, until areas were too deforested) or animal power. So of course a dam or mill race was seen as a good alternative. One thing I fear we're missing in putting stuff like this into context is that the reason we can tear down these small dams is that our society has become so massively power hungry, that this old infrastructure is trivial and/or redundant. We can afford to throw it away now, because our needs are being supplied by an even bigger environmental catastrophe somewhere else.

I enjoy your presentation, and mostly agree, but please keep in mind two things: 1) Most of these cost/benefit analyses we're performed [albeit informally] at the time of the dam-building, and pretty much everyone agreed the dam was the best option. I don't necessarily agree, but that's what they decided. It wasn't some big secret government plot. If anyone was plotting, it was contractors and concrete suppliers. 2) It isn't necessarily wrong to build a project for the benefit of humans. It can be right or wrong, good or bad, but it's not automatically wrong. Good work on the video.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Right. I mentioned in the video how these dams were largely uncontroversial (to the general public) when built. I'd say they were pretty much in line with the way of thinking back then. And yes, I agree it's not automatically wrong to build projects for the benefit of humans. My philosophy in general is that those projects should come from a mindset of mutual respect for nature, rather than complete domination. Thanks for watching!

@rodrudinger9902

2 жыл бұрын

The trouble was, not everyone was represented in those "cost/benefit" analyses; only the politically connected, financially powerful, and expressing the philosophy of the times; which usually was exploitation, for personal, or small group; benefit; at the expense of all other considerations. Hopefully, we are moving away from that philosophy.

@memyselfandi8544

2 жыл бұрын

I agree with everyone’s point. There must be an advocate for preserving the value of public lands. The government should accommodate both the natural and industrial requirements of society. The government needs to represent the population, not wealth, agencies, political parties, individuals, corporations (nor tech billionaires) or secret agendas. And something I don’t think anyone is identifying, is the indoctrination into falsehoods and false religions such as climate change hysteria and de industrialization. Anyone who revokes others ability to debate a virtue is part of a vast social conspiracy to implement Satanism. Freemasons run everything, and us Christians are tired of their sick social games.

@rodrudinger9902

2 жыл бұрын

Not necessarily everyone; mainly the "Powers that be" (the leaders of a community, area, or region, either politically, monetarily, socially; or a combination of the preceding. This would also include the contractors, and builders. There was also an ethic, at the time; that nature was there, to be exploited for mankind's use. The people who studied how nature worked, and why; as well as the Original Americans; who had learned, by observation ( I prefer "Original", as opposed to "Native", because anyone born in America, as I am, is a Native American, while those descended from the individuals who crossed the "land bridge", from Northeast Asia, were here, first; by circumstance; and are the Original Americans); were in the minority, and shut out, of the discussions.

@soonerfrac4611

2 жыл бұрын

I’ll play a little nicer since the last one was removed…. The dams that can be removed because they no longer serve a purpose, or are more of a hindrance should be removed. Those that cannot be removed but can be retrofitted to help fish migration should have this accomplished. But the dams turned the US into an industrial & agricultural powerhouse. Allowing us to feed other nations with our excess. Now that dams are being removed we are a net importer of food because of water rationing in California and other places out West. Without these dams places like LA die overnight. Even smaller communities have faded by an accidentally breached dam because of an immediate effect of loss of water to grow food or even drink. As to the tribes. There is a narrative that is very Disney-like that the various tribes lived in harmony with nature and each other. It’s a lie. Many sad and tragic things happened that are downright shameful in our national history, and to pretend they didn’t happen is just as shameful. But to perpetuate the myth that Native Americans were a peaceful group that lived in total bliss with the world around them does them a disservice.

I would love to see how the lakebed restores itself over time. In a timelapse....

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

I agree, that would be cool!

@soonerfrac4611

2 жыл бұрын

A local small lake has been having its dam repaired and in the process it was entirely drained. The amount of growth was incredible! Inside of a few days there were mosses and grass growing where only water grass had been, within a month or two of it fully drying out those grasses were 4 feet tall! Inside of a year brushy weeds were in excess of 10 FEET! These were mostly blood weed and sunflowers at that point. All manner of animals had turned the dry lake bed into hiding places.

@Zizie_sc

2 жыл бұрын

We need more of these satellite imagery Timelapse’s

@jbird6609

2 жыл бұрын

@@soonerfrac4611 Yep me too, dam was removed and weeds spring up fast. They didn’t need any help.

@jbird6609

2 жыл бұрын

@laughing Atyou Funny, gas is going up though in price. We might run out someday, joking

You have a great channel and are discussing extremally crucial matters. I know how long it takes to grow an channel brand. You are almost there!

@NationalParkDiaries

10 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for your support!

If only this happened in Australia, so many fish and downstream habitats have suffered for many decades due to the many dams along the rivers and creeks within the Murray-Darling basin, many plants and animals rely on floods for rejuvenation, breeding, food, and seed spreading, and due to there not being any major flooding many areas that had good soil moisture are now dry, and this only worsens the droughts

I hiked the length of the Elwa river valley with my uncle and my little brother back in 2016. Seeing entire valleys barren of plants and knowing that it was all underwater a bit ago was really crazy to me at the time

In these days of bad news everywhere it's nice to see some good news. Here in Michigan we have far too many old dams serving no purpose but to create lakefront property. It's time to remove dams that can be. We have learned a lot in the last 100 years about how rivers do a lot of good when left to do what they should do.

@brianvulcan5252

2 жыл бұрын

Restore the Rapids has been tossed around in Grand Rapids for a while. A better current might make the Grand River a bit less uhhh disgusting.

@jppagetoo

2 жыл бұрын

@@brianvulcan5252 I live in the GR area. There is much to be done in the Grand River restoration. The money is there if they get the permits and have the political will to take out the low dams in the Grand River. I also have seen the river cleaned up a lot over the last 30 years (the sewers no longer overflow into the river). But yes, the cleanup is not yet done, and needs to be.

I was born in Port Angeles, my Grandma took us to the lower Elwha to go fishing. She talked about the river being set free one day, but never got to see it.

@balthezaar100

2 жыл бұрын

Hello fellow Port Angeles native here. The Elwa has been recovering quite nicely. The beaches on the Strait side of Ediz Hook are slowly getting fuller too now that natural silt is getting back into the Strait.

I remember walking through the area that was once under water from the Elwah shortly after the dam was taken down, it felt kind of surreal

I just visited the Elwha river! Watching your video provides helpful context for what's going on. Can't wait to revisit it in a decade and notice its changes.

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

Glad I could help!

Great explanation of the story of the rise and fall of dams on the Elwha River.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

I was born and raised in Arizona. When first saw the rain forests in Washington state I had to move there. Such a beautiful area. I returned to Arizona with AMZN and DSCM stock and retired in 2001.

@Exquailibur

2 ай бұрын

Dont underestimate the biodiversity and wildlife in Arizona, the jaguars are returning and maybe soon they wont just be visiting. The life in a desert is generally more humble and small but its still really cool stuff and ironically I am pretty sure there are actually more freshwater fish species in Arizona then in Washington state even if most of them are small.

This is so cool to hear the history of the Elwha, I live very close to there and I’ve lived on the Olympic Peninsula my entire life and even helped plant trees on the banks of the Elwha to restore the forest there, but never heard a detailed history on this til now

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! The Elwha restoration is such a good story and one I was glad to tell here on the channel.

what are the possibilities for letting sediment and fish through a dam through smaller side canals and some kinda bottom opening or something similar? I mean... these dams seem kinda nice for electricity

As a lifelong resident of Washington (Puget Sound) I am proud and happy 😃 about this event!

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

🙌

As we reduce our production of electricity from hydro sources we need to increase it from other non-polluting sources. Clearing land for solar and wind farms has its effect on the environment, so we need to balance the relative effects. In this case, the dams were very minor electricity generators while the dams nearly eliminated salmon migration and flooded sacred lands of Native Americans, so the decision was pretty clear. It's not so clear with other dams.

@Elite02k

2 жыл бұрын

Shove 3,000 miles worth of solar panels in the Sahara and the Mohave and we have ourselves a decent solution for a while.

@jaumesinglavalls5486

2 жыл бұрын

@@Elite02k not only that, solar pannels can be convined with agriculture and livestock. In germany is usual to see solar panels with sheeps and other animals...

@JJAB91

2 жыл бұрын

The simple solution is nuclear power

@aidan8473

2 жыл бұрын

Nuclear is the way to go. But expensive up front costs drive private industry away. Needs to be expensive to be safe too. But solar and wind take up so much space.

@lukekelchner5471

2 жыл бұрын

Nuclear energy is the only viable option for the future. Solar and wind were good ideas but no where enough to meat modern power needs.

I remember when the project began. Now for the Earth to repair itself! How beautiful!

This is the second video I have seen on this issue and the case for removal to me is simply that there was a law passed by the representatives of that state and it was not followed. If that law had been followed then the reason for dam removal would have come from a greater understanding of the need for natural sedimentation processes to continue. I would not lay blame of a lack of knowledge on people of the past or ask those of the past to be perfect either.

It’d be nice to see the Colorado return to it’s natural habitat as well, and reach the Sea of Cortez once more.

ONE problem with his story. The Salmon DID NOT just return to the Elwha river above the dams just because they were removed. They had to use a hatchery system to raise eggs from the couple of species still surviving that gathered below the dam, and they had to bring in eggs from other areas to add the other species that did not survive the dam blockages to repopulate the river system.

@sweynforkbeard8857

Жыл бұрын

What??? You are denying the magical thinking?

@randalllewis4485

Жыл бұрын

Hatcheries were part of the restoration from the beginning of the project. The tribe was insistent that this was necessary. Yet adding hatchery fish to a short river available for fish would make no sense and therefore, removal of the dams was what triggered return of salmon to the Elwha. And natural restoration of the river delta (which everyone knew would take a few years) will further restore the salmon runs. There may have been folks too optimistic about the pace of salmon recovery, but it is recovery nevertheless.

you should make a video about the lower snake river dams it's not in a national park but I think it would be a good thing to cover. Its four run of the river dams act as some of the most difficult obstacles for salmon in Idaho as most of Idaho has lost its salmon to dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers but it also has a sketchy construction history. I think it would become a very cool video for a channel.

@Turin-Fett

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah. Let’s get rid of our most reliable source of renewable energy and irrigation for some fish.

@brianjohnston4207

5 ай бұрын

I'm all for removing dams on the Snake but the lower dams are the last place that I would start. I'd start at Milner built in 1905 destroyed the spawning habitat Below Shoshone Falls killed of the run that spawned between Hells Canyon and the falls where migration ended naturally. After Milner I'd work downstream and remove the dams without fish passage and create slackwater pools which heat the water the Mainstem dams without fish passage (Upper and Lower Salmon, Bliss, C.J. Strike, and Swan Falls dams) are the next dams I would prioritize. Not the newest 4 lower dams which have fish passage, do not heat the water.

Excellent start !

"Break the dam! Release the river!" -Treebeard

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

It brings me joy to imagine Treebeard freeing the Elwha 😂

@drewpackman2929

2 жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries All rather simplistic views of issues and problems.

Another great video Cameron. Thanks love you

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, love you too!

Thank you for shedding light on this information it made my night. I visited the elwha river valley a month ago for the first time and had no idea about any of this

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

You bet, Cameron. Thanks for watching!

This video was an introduction to your channel for me. Really cool! Thanks for sharing this, I subscribed for more!

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you and welcome! I hope you enjoy!

In parts of England rivers have weirs to maintain the level, in the past so boats could navigate up river carrying cargo, but impeding fish migration. During recent years ladders have been created alongside the weir, they have joined tanks that allow fish easy passage up river.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

We have those in the States as well. The Columbia River has a significant amount of them if I remember correctly. Unfortunately, fish populations have still been impacted. The fish ladders just aren't a meaningful replacement for free-flowing rivers.

@brrebrresen1367

2 жыл бұрын

fishladders have to be designed and added as the dam was built and designed for the area, not just added on as a emergency kit like in Columbia. and then you have the second part, the ladder helps only upstream, you need something downstream too in form of specialized grids to not take out the smolt going out to the ocean to get big. while it have shown in Norway to reduce impact on Atlantic Salmon and Eel to almost zero and some places even increased it population (by making ladders up to what was before unreachable waters by the fish) it might have some impact on the far more aggressive and intrusive Pacific Salmon when used in the US though, so that might need research (aka using money, something big corps don't like to do). funny enough though we are starting to think out methods to build and use fishladders here to exterminate all Pacific Salmons from out rivers since they are wrecking havoc with the local ecosystems. (thanks USSR for planting em out in your rivers back in the day.... nothing bad could happen from that right?)

I wanted to see the river a few years ago, but guess it was not open to the public then. We did have a great time. We took a Camry {nice big trunk for our tent) up another mountain where those big RV's aren't' allowed! Now we want to free the Ocklawaha in northern Florida! It's a beautiful River. Hardly any buildings except illegal docks on the River which is state land. About 150 I hear. If open, one could kayak from Silver Springs to the Atlantic Ocean! Sturgeon and Striped bass and Manatee could return for spawning and winter forage.

I know here in Minnesota there has been talks about removing some dams/levies from the Mississippi River and restoring it back to its more original state.

That's a dam good KZread video you've got here. I'm certain that nobody else made a dam joke.

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

It's crazy. They've come flooding in.

A happy ending. However, can we appreciate the fact that they built a dam in 3 years in the 1910's, but it takes 7 years to resurface a road in the 2010's.🤔

Thanks for another excellent video.

We have so much to learn as people about living in harmony with nature. Old proverb... "the ox is slow but the earth is patient". If we are the ox "slow", perhaps, does not describe the blinded eye greed has allowed.

We have been working for years in North Central Florida to free the Ocklawaha River which is the largest tributary of the St. Johns. A dam and locks were built on the Ocklawaha for the proposed Cross Florida Barge Canal. President Nixon stopped the canal, but the pool still blocks the flow of the river out to the Jacksonville area and then to the Atlantic. 20 springs would be available for manatee. Striped bass as well as other native fishwould again Spawn in the river. The economic benefits would double with kayaking possible from Silver Springs all the way to the Atlantic. Salt water intrusion would also be reduced for the St. Johns.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

I had another subscriber mention that to me as well. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Has there been any movement in recent years? What are the biggest hurdles?

@Cerceify

Жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiariesFlorida Defenders of the Environment, the organization that stopped the Cross Florida Barge Canal is still working to free the Ocklawaha. My friends, the late Whitey Markle was, and Jim Grosse, the Executive Director, is still slogging along to open the river. Jim is a hydrologist who used to work for the water management district. People in Palatka miles and miles away on the St. Johns River think they own the dam and pool which is about like a cesspool. The Ocklawaha is the largest tributary of the St. Johns. Stocked bass were often put in for bass fishing, but in competitions which start around February or March the trophy hunters are allowed to go back through the locks to the St. Johns River to catch big bass and then return for judging. They then have to take the bass back to the St. Johns, speeding along in Manatee habitat. Politicians support keeping the stagnant pool, but when there is a drawdown to reduce algae and overgrowth, the visitors and spending doubles. The U.S. Forest Service, I think, own the land the Rodman Dam was built on to allow barge traffic. The Cross Florida Barge Canal was cancelled by Nixon in the 70's. We had hoped the feds would say to take down the derelict, dangerous dam, but Trump took over then. Our local state Senator Bradley didn't care that the economic studies proved there would be great benefit for the area to free the Ocklawaha. No businesses around. The bait shops have all closed, perhaps twenty years ago. Bass fishermen get their gas before driving to the dam and then leave the area after competitions. Many times the launches are clogged up due to excess nitrogen in the water, thus vegetation build-up. Our St. Johns Water Management District finally declared freeing the Ocklawaha would help flush the nutrients and clean up the St. Johns, also reducing salt water intrusion to the mouth of the St. Johns.

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

@@Cerceify Thanks for the update! I've got this on my radar and will certainly keep my eye on it!

AYY a story from my neck of the woods!

So stoked for a new video!

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Enjoy!

Senator Brock Adams had a lot to do with this if I remember right. I met him in person a couple times, really cool guy. Very devoted to this. Its cool to see his dream come to proper life here.

Ahhh the great algorithm has brought us together once again , hello friends 👋🏻

We need to support domestic developers of Small Modular Nuclear reactors to replace hydropower.

Wooohoooo. Never thought I would see a documentary on our local dam. And yes it is very cloudy and rainy on the Washington peninsula. It is called the Olympic National Rainforest for a reason. We get as much rain as tropical rainforests.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

I'm happy to highlight it! That area is gorgeous!

"Mom! Felix said the 'D' word again"! --- A baby beaver tattling on his brother

Very well done as usual my friend!

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Eric!

I hope over time people in general realize that they are part of ecosystems that need to thrive and humans are not apart from nature. We simply just have the ability to alter our surroundings at industrial scales never before seen. It is fascinating to note that much of what got built in the last 150 years is very ephemeral and nature will ultimately reclaim much of it.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

This is pretty much in line with how I think about the natural world as well. The more we see ourselves as part of it, the more likely we are to take better care of it.

I have visited this dam in 2010 while in Port Angeles for vacation. I was told at the time it was slated to remove the dam in 2011. I had immersed myself with information about this dam and I understand the people wanting to take it down.

I live in Corvallis, Oregon and I wish this would happen to all the pnw waterways and we bring back Beavers all over the place. That can be just a starting point and hopefully we can improve our salmon, lamprey, sturgeon, estuaries, crab populations. Then we can work on restoring the waterways in the rest of the country to bring back ecosystems biodiversity hopefully get them flourishing and sustaining our communities. Sidenote: This is why we need to invest in modern advanced nuclear energy options. Small form reactors, LFTRs, Thorium Reactors, liquid reactors, with modern technology, engineering, material science, safety measures understandings and designs, computer technology, robotics, It will really allow any nation to be pretty much be energy independent. Less reliant on fossil fuels. They'll have efficient, stable electrical grids and the rest of the grid could experiment with alternative power sources, etc.

Just found you! I’m listening to this; and I have lived in the Pacific Northwest my whole life, most of it on the coast at that… And I can tell you; it is incredibly wet here. I even have raincoats for my dogs…

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Welcome! And stay dry lol!

@soaringvulture

2 жыл бұрын

You should get water spaniels. They don't need raincoats.

great video

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Thanks for this video! You are amazing

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!!

My Hometown. I have seen the inside the power house before it was removed. Elwha River is loaded with big beautiful fish. Hooray for the Native Tribes, and the Fish.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

That's awesome. Enjoy the river!

Salmon are so crazy man: "They removed the dam boy, let's swim upstream through the most difficult terrain for 70 miles"

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

Haha, for real! Incredible animals!

Great video, thanks. Down here in far Northern California/southern Oregon, we're eagerly awaiting the un-damning (pun intended) of the Klamath River. Four, count 'em *four* dams are due to come out. They're currently working on how; last I heard they were thinking of blasting them all simultaneously, but that may have changed. It will be the largest dam removal in history. It will be *epic*. Next, on to the Eel! Poor, abused Eel River.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! I've read about the Klamath removals - looking forward to that!

@l_speed8797

Жыл бұрын

I found the video, and this reference to Klamath, interesting, only because there was significant emphasis (rightfully so) placed on how the dam was created, and how certain voices were left out of the conversation on whether the project should occur or not. Why i think that's significant is that, as much as things have changed, and we've learned, we still make many of the same mistakes and face the same issues today, it's just different voices with sway and different voices that are ignored as "unimportant". For every person that will benefit from increased Salmon activity, you have someone who loses a location they used to fish for a different species from a boat. For every person who wants a free flowing river because of natures beauty, you have another who misses out on yearly recreational use of the lake being removed. In the case of the video, it seems like a "no brainer" that removal was the best case. I'm sure the overall consensus, and certainly my opinion is the same, that removal was the right thing to do. But keep in mind, just as noted about the native tribe not being heard, i'm sure there were people who didn't want the Elwha, or the Klamath, dams to be removed. Yet to many advocates of the project, their voices "don't matter". That's a sobering thought when you realize that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

very good work fantastic thanks

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Excellent work 👍🏻

Awesome -one for the earth 💕💕

so good to see animals coming 1st protected and cared about humans need to stop over populating now

Thank you!

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

You are welcome Joanna!

One thing they do with the Glen Canyon dam is create periodic flooding in the Grand Canyon which restores the natural ebb and flow of wildlife.

Dams are ok. As long as they’re not constructed to give drinking water to people who live in a desert and drive Tesla’s.

@mictianabsterges1313

2 жыл бұрын

Let Kings be kings 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀

@mitchellbarnow1709

2 жыл бұрын

What do Teslas have to do with it, bank enemy?

@mitchellbarnow1709

2 жыл бұрын

Lake Mead and Lake Powell are in huge trouble now and lawns are seen all over at people’s houses in these desert cities that depend on the Colorado River.

Interesting, I needed this today. Saludos desde Costa Rica :

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! Also, I love Costa Rica. One of my favorite places on Earth!

Fantastic video!

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!

Would be interested in hearing you cover a bit more of the Olympic National Park. From the natural hot springs near the Elwa River to Hurricane Ridge to the Quinault lands and more. There is a lot of history and wildlife here that most state park documentaries ignore in favor of easy attention grabs like Yellowstone.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Oh, I'm sure there are plenty more park stories I could tell about Olympic! Gotta spread the love a bit, but rest assured, I plan on returning to Olympic at some point for more stories!

I was there and photo documented the area. So glad the Salmon can now enter the Elwha River.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Me too, such a wonderful restoration!

@NorthwestAdventurerNWA

2 жыл бұрын

@@NationalParkDiaries There’s still so much work to do around the nation regarding Dam removal. Keep the educational videos coming our way. Thank you!

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

@@NorthwestAdventurerNWA Will do, and thank you!

I rember i was in 5th grade in port angeles when they tore down the dams. I remember how much the land changed we did so many science field trips out there

Thankyou , very informative .

@NationalParkDiaries

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

So let’s be honest. If they returned back after a few months after 100 years. This will work everywhere !

this is amazing... thank you

@NationalParkDiaries

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

This was great to watch,let the rivers flow 👍👍

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks and I agree!

to all rivers - a free and flowing life back to the sea. run free.

Progress is important due to the benefits it provides to the surrounding communities with feasible studies that improve human life through technological advances. Conservation and preservation must co-exist for human development to be successful.

What a damn good video 👍🏻

Excellent 👍 thank you

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

You bet!

Keeping an eye on this channel, there's some good stuff here

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Welcome!

I would be interested to hear your thoughts your definition of "the select few". From what I gleaned from this is that the select few were those that benefited from the electricity for the public in the area, and the pulp mill, and all that benefited (lumber for building, homes, etc.) from the logging in the region, and entitle the Klallam tribe to 50% of the salmon. Now, with the dam and power generation removed, likely shifting the power generation to fossil fuel sources, are the remaining "select few that benefit" the Klallam Tribe?

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for commenting, I appreciate your perspective. I would argue the "select few" were the pulp mill and logging operations, yes. These dams weren't generating enough electricity to really benefit the general public, so their benefit was flowing to, in my opinion, a "select few." Given the time period these dams were built during, that was perfectly acceptable. The Elwha Dam was built on private property and the Glines Canyon Dam was built in what was then a National Forest. They were constructed according to generally accepted economic and ecological viewpoints at the time. As the decades went on and public opinion began to shift (and the ecological impact became more well known), removal became more of a possibility. As for the replacement power, that will be taken over by the Bonneville Power Administration, which also produces power through hydroelectricity. It will not be generated through fossil fuels. More than a select few will benefit now, as the restoration will restore an economically and ecologically valuable fishery, provide a vibrant and healthy ecosystem for the public, and restore invaluable cultural sites.

@felixholdorf9402

2 жыл бұрын

Also, on shifting power generation to fossil fuels: the dam had been providing a small minority of power demand in the local area (I think around 3% around the time of its removal). An NPS factsheet cites the dam as providing only enough energy to meet half of the demand of a single local company (www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/elwha-faq.htm). So - shifting energy supply toward fossil fuels in the area around the Elwha is essentially a non-issue.

@adiamondforever7890

2 жыл бұрын

If the grid went down, those dams could have kept Port Angles in power and help restart the grid. We were lied to about the amount of silt, the cost of clean up, and the amount of damage to the environment caused by the dams. The all important metric was removal, no matter the cost, Hydro power is evil, or so the mantra went. There are other issues to the salmon runs, Judge Bolt didn't help us in that regard, and fish farming may prevent any real return of the old runs as the problems are much wider than Puget Sound. This dam removal is not just any one dam, it is politics, and all of them. Unless wind and solar is used to pump water uphill to be used when the wind and sun do not shine, there is no storage on the grid. The closest we have to that is the Columbia basin irrigation project, but will it get used that way? I used to get water from that years ago, and am now too out of the loop to know pump/recovery data. Have fun

I could use the hope. Thank you.

Great video! thanks

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

We NEED better balance and to include MORE opinions. It is great to see this happen!

Another great video. You’ve earned my sub. I’m so glad to see you have a decent collection of videos to dig into. You should find a way to collaborate with other similar channels to boost your numbers. This is really great work. The research, production, and narration are top notch.

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, and welcome to the community! I'm certainly open to collaborations if the right opportunity opens up. I'm always looking to engage with others on these issues and would love to work with other like-minded people to explore them.

I love these dam stories.....😁

Excellent video!!

@NationalParkDiaries

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Well done 👍 Bravo 👏