Deconstruct Old Dams That Block Fish!
During the Industrial Revolution in the northeastern United States, hundreds of dams were built to create hydropower for various manufacturing mills. Now, many of these dams lie in ruins, tangled in weeds and blocking the passage of fish to and from the sea.
Many of these streams used to be thick with fish species, particularly "diadromous" fish, who move between salt and fresh water and are the primary source of protein for larger species like salmon, tuna, and flounder. If unused dams can be torn down to create a more ecologically friendly habitat, the biological richness of these streams as well as the whole Atlantic ocean can be restored.
Additionally, tearing down these ailing, unmaintained dams will help prevent massive flooding disasters during storms, which is already an issue in some areas.
Sign this petition to show your support for the deconstruction of the these historical dams so that safety standards can be maintained and ecosystems can be restored to their former glory.
Dear Congress,
The American river system is littered with many hundreds of dams. Some serve a very important purpose, providing power to thousands of people. Others, especially those built during the Industrial Revolution, are unmaintained and languishing in ruins, posing safety risks to humans as well as contibuting to the degredation of the environment by blocking the passage of important fish to and from the sea.
I am writing to express my concern about these dams and support continued efforts toward their deconstruction. Restoring stream and ocean ecosystems to their full functionality would greatly enhance the overall health of the ecosystem and increasing supply for fisheries. Additionally, restoring natural flow patterns of streams would prevent the kind of heavy flooding that results from these inadequately maintained dams. In Connecticut in 2006, 20 dams failed during a small October storm, and the threat of climate change increases the chances of larger storms moving into this region in the future.
While acknowledging efforts currently underway by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it is important that more action be taken as this problem will only increase with time. Restore our water ecosystems to their full glory, increase fishing stocks, and protect people from crumbled and failing dams!
