Environmental Impacts of Dams in the United States

Name: Justin Gaenzle

Class: RWS 1301

Title: Research Proposal; Environmental Impacts of Dams in the United States

Background
Within the United States there are over 100,000 plus dams. These dams range in sizes, small
as 3 feet to hundreds of feet. The effects on the environment have been numerous from
effecting the local area to even across state lines. Dams have even caused great issues to the
local environment of El Paso Texas. There are ruffly 13 Dams and diversions on Rio Grande
River by the time it reaches El Paso. This has effected the local environment here in El paso
where we used to have grasslands, now replaced by heavy desert sands. The environmental
changes have only occurred in the past 100 years.

Purpose
The purpose of this research report is to show the environmental impacts of dams within the
United States and also addressing issues they cause in El Paso Texas. With the questions of;
Why these impacts are causing environmental issues? How did dams effect local ecosystems?
If the removal of the dams would fix the issues? How would people deal with the issues of the
free water currents? What implements will the government and local government put in place so
the environment is protected?

Significance
Dams and their significance to environmental issues that are caused by them. Dams hold back
free following sediments normally found in the rivers follow. Dams are depriving areas
downstream of these well need sediments. In order to make up for the sediments, the
downstream water erodes its channels and banks. This lowering of the riverbed threatens

vegetation and river wildlife. With fisheries being important source of food in the United States.
Great attention needs paid to the harmful effects of dams and its effects on fisheries plus there
local biological ecosystem. Majority of large dams do not have proper bypass systems for these
animals, causing interference with their life cycles and inevitably forcing species to extinction.
Dams cause the spreading of disease due to slow-moving water. Which become breeding
grounds for mosquitoes and flies, these vectors can carry malaria and schistosomiasis.The
spread of these sicknesses can cause damage to or even destroy local ecosystems.

Methods
The only methodology to the on going dam issue. Dam removal is the only way to restore
ecological habitats. It opens miles of river for migration, spawning, and juvenile nursery habitat.
Doing this will not atomically fix the issues but in time it will.

Problems
The problems caused by dams to the environment. Soil erosion cause by dams holding back the
sediment load normally found in a river flow, depriving the downstream of this. In order to make
up for the sediments, the downstream water erodes its channels and banks. Extinction of
species caused by dams and there blocking of the natural follow of river life. Dams causing the
spread of disease due to slow moving water that causes the water to stagnate, plus water
logging around reservoirs restrains plant growth. Dams and there reservoirs can and will induce
seismicity that causes earthquakes. Areas down river that depended on the uninterrupted follow
are being heavily changed due to the lack of resources it once had.

References
http://www.ansp.org/research/environmental-research/projects/small-dams/

http://www.research.vt.edu/resmag/2008summer/dams.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-dams-hurt-rivers/

http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/152606/

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/riverslakes/rivers-and-energy.xml

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2233706/

http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impactshydroelectric-power.html#.VtzsQxj5iSM