Headings 1

Josh Headings

Professor Griesbach

English 102

8 June 2011

Dams – The Untold Story

Introduction

For many years dams in the West have been considered to be an economic and environmental

asset. Dams are built by governments and utility companies to create clean and efficient energy

that is considered environmentally friendly. They are used to store massive amounts of water in

reservoirs, which can be used to irrigate fields and also provide a natural spawning ground for

breeding different types of aquatic life. Dams demonstrate a form of power and are looked upon

as a technological achievement. Dams are pure goodness in every way, shape, and form – or are

they?

The following essay will address some of the negative aspects of dams in the West, and how

they have influenced much more than one might imagine. Unknown to the vast majority, dams

produce many hazards to the environment and to the people living in nearby regions. Dams are

driven by political agendas and the quest for wealth by governments who are hungry for power

(Espeland 297). These great technological achievements pose a threat to not only the natural

environment, but also to the very livelihood of people living in close proximity. So do the

benefits of dams in the West really justify the inherent negative effects? Can dams, people, and

the environment coexist harmoniously? These questions are for each and every person to decide

for themselves. The following pages will provide some knowledgeable insight into this vague

Headings 2

and often neglected topic, which will then assist one in analyzing the facts and drawing their own

conclusions.

Environmental Impacts of Dams

Dams in the West started to become popular during the late 19th century and continued to

gain momentum from that point forward. At the very front of this evolving industry was a man

named John Eastwood who was a hydraulic engineer. Eastwood could be considered the

forefather of dams in the West, and was a true pioneer in this specialized industry of dam

construction. Over the course of his life, Eastwood built numerous dams all over the American

West. These dams spanned a large geographical area, and stretched all the way from Northern

Mexico up to Idaho and the Dakotas (Jackson 3).

During this initial “dam boom”, there were very few regulations on environmental issues

surrounding the construction of dams. Many of these original dams did not have advanced water

managing capabilities that modern dams do. As Petr Cizek describes, dams today are usually

designed to use “run-of-river technology” which allows them to “not block rivers, but only divert

part of them” (28). The construction of many of Eastwood‟s dams was the point in time where

they started to become a real threat to the environment, and began to have a significant impact on

water in the West.

So how can dams be environmentally friendly as well as productive? Christopher Kent brings

some practical insight to the table, especially in regard to water resource planning within the

Yakima River Basin. The Yakima River Basin is located in south-central Washington and has an

abundance of surface water that needs to be managed efficiently in order to provide irrigation to

support agriculture in the surrounding region. In recent years, different strategies for managing

this abundance of water have been proposed. One of the solutions was to construct a 2 billion

Headings 3

dollar water storage facility (dam) which would provide plenty of water for the agricultural

industry (Kent 27). Kent provides some good insight on the effects that this type of dam would

bring to the region.

The Yakima River Basin is one of the richest agricultural regions in the country, and supports

over 60 different crops. This rich agricultural area accounts for over 1 billion dollars in annual

revenue, which is a fairly significant number (Kent 33). However, without proper irrigation and

adequate water supply, the extremely successful agricultural industry would be greatly

diminished. According to Kent, “water in the basin is „over-appropriated,‟ meaning that more

water has been legally allocated than is naturally available” (35). Recently there has been a

constant shortage in water supply, which has a significant impact on agricultural communities.

The proposed dam would provide a huge increase in water supply. As Kent states, it would

provide a “high-quality water supply that will deliver 100 percent of existing water entitlements

during a 3-year drought” (48). These are some very respectable estimates and the benefit of

having adequate water supply would improve and sustain the agricultural industry. From the

summary above it would appear that the benefits of dams far outweigh any of the negative

environment aspects; however that may not be the case.

Dams are not all good and pure. Even though the above paragraphs illustrated some key

benefits of using dams for irrigation, there still remains an ominous threat to the environment.

These negative effects are primarily seen in fish and wildlife, and many of them are only now

becoming evident. Bruce Babbitt, who formerly served as the U.S. Secretary of the Interior,

brings some contrasting information to the ideas that Kent was proposing. According to Babbitt:

“The public is now learning that we have paid a steadily accumulating price for these projects

[dams] in the form of fish spawning runs destroyed, downstream rivers altered by changes in

Headings 4

temperature, unnatural nutrient loads and seasonal flows, wedges of sediment piling up

behind structures, and delta wetlands degraded by lack of fresh water and nutrients, and

saltwater intrusion. Rivers are always on the move and their inhabitants know no boundaries;

salmon and shad do not read maps, only streams” (qtd. in Clark 402).

Having worked for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Babbitt brings some practical insight into

just how severe the ramifications of these man-made structures can be. This is just one classic

and brief example of how dams affect fish and also the nutrients in the surrounding land. It is

becoming more and more evident how dams are proving to be a significant environmental

concern, and as Clark describes, “recognition has grown that dams‟ benefits may fail to justify

long-term costs” (402).

Motivated by Money

So many things in life are influenced by money, and unfortunately dams are no exception. For

decades dams have proved to be a substantial source of revenue for those who own them. Since

the United States government has primary ownership of dams nationwide, they become the target

for much controversy. The electricity that hydro-dams produce is a multimillion dollar industry

in the U.S. alone, and the majority of this income is at the governments‟ disposal (Nersesian

275). This raises some questions regarding conflict of interest between environment and money.

Is the real motivation for creating dams just part of a political agenda? Considering the

environmental ramifications, how can one decide whether or not dams are worth the money? The

following paragraphs will provide further insight on one of the main driving forces behind the

creation of dams.

Headings 5

As Roy Nersesian describes, a large dam with a hydro-electric plant can produce over 1

gigawatt of electricity which is enough to power a city of approximately 1 million people (295).

This is an incredible economic asset for governments to have at their disposal. The economic

influence that dams possess is only magnified by another example from BC Hydro. This scenario

involves a relatively new dam located in central British Columbia, which is still under the

development stage. According to Ken Forrest, this dam “would amount to only 8 percent of

British Columbia‟s current annual production [electricity]. All of it [electricity] would be

exported south or for sale in the United States” (104). Based on the preceding evidence, can this

new dam proposal be anything but a huge financial asset to the Canadian government? Is this a

form of pure goodness? It is definitely a purely lucrative way for the Canada to make a nice

profit off of the power demand of the Western United States.

However, besides the monetary motivation for the construction of this new dam, a prime

agricultural area would also be destroyed in the process. As Forrest states, “it is unconscionable

to flood thousands of hectares [1 hectare = 2.47 acres] of prime growing land simply for added

provincial profit” (105). The sad fact is, it may be completely unreasonable to waste such a large

amount of land; however the fact remains – money. If the people of central B.C. must substitute

the potential to grow food in order for the government to make a nice profit by building a dam,

then who am I to judge?

In order to give the benefits of dams a fair trial, one must consider the Grand Coulee Dam

located in the heart of Washington State. This dam is located on the Columbia River and is

considered an agricultural asset my many in the region (Ortolano 375). According to Leonard

Ortolano, “in 1992, CBP [Columbia Basin Project] lands produced 17% of Washington‟s gross

apple production, 28% of its potato value, and 32% of its hay value” (375). Along with the

Headings 6

agricultural benefits of this dam, the economy has also prospered by the increased infrastructure

(schools, roads, business, etc) caused by the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam. This dam

also helps to protect farmers located downstream by regulating its water reservoir in order to

prevent flooding (Ortolano 375,6). Do all of these monetary benefits justify the inherent

downfalls of constructing a dam of this magnitude, such as the relocation of civilization and the

impact on wildlife? Many dams are driven by political agendas and the financial benefits they

bring. Is it really worth the money?

Fig.1. Grand Coulee Dam, Columbia Basin Reclamation Project

Headings 7

Threat of Dams on Civilization

Ever since their inception, dams have posed a threat to the people living around them. These

threats include everything from small inconveniences to life-threatening mass devastation. The

whole process of acquiring land and constructing dams is where the threat on civilization begins.

Depending on the geographic region, the construction of dams can force millions of people from

their homes and communities. Vast amount of forests are flooded, resulting in the death of

numerous species of trees and plants. Fertile farmland alongside the river(s) is either replaced

entirely by water or turned into useless wetlands. The threats to civilization then change and

evolve as the dams reach completion and are put to use for a variety of different functions. In the

following paragraphs one will be able to see how different dams have impacted the local

populous in different ways, some being small in nature while others were deadly.

Kendall gives a graphic illustration of how one Native American community was completely

obliterated by the construction of a dam, and how they had no power in the decisions that were

made. West Arrow Park, located in south-eastern BC, was a beautiful and peaceful mountain

community. Inhabited mostly by farmers and forest workers, it was an ideal place to live and

enjoy nature in a private setting. According to Kendall, West Arrow Park had an abundance of

fresh mountain water, clean air, and a nice variety of wildlife (153). However, in 1965 this small

utopia suddenly became the center of attention for BC Hydro. As Kendall writes, “the death of

West Arrow Park was a slow and painful process, beginning in 1965 and ending with the

completion of the Keenleyside Dam in mid-1969” (154).

Through this four year period leading up to the construction of the dam, must loss and

destruction was seen. Families watched as their homes were burned and bulldozed, their orchards

and fields destroyed, and years of hard work and labor put to waste (Kendall 154). To put it

Headings 8

mildly, the experience was devastating for the residents of West Arrow Park. During the process

of forcing residents to move from their homes, BC Hydro even used tactics such as discontinuing

bus service for school children living in the community. This forced many kids to walk 3 miles

in the dead of winter, just to be able to go to school. As 1969 slowly approached, more and more

families were forced from their homes until no one remained (Kendall 155).

Unfortunately, the residents of West Arrow Park had very little power to stop or influence the

acquisition of their land from BC Hydro. BC Hydro initially tried to get people to leave by

playing mind games on them. According to Kendall, they referred to the people “as „poor,‟ to our

area” and “as „economically depressed,‟ and spoke as if money and shiny new things were the

only symbols of a worthwhile life” (153). This demonstrates how low BC Hydro was willing to

stoop in order to convince people to leave their homes and land. This tactic was largely

unsuccessful, since it was obvious that BC Hydro was attempting to manipulate the general

sentiment of the people of West Arrow Park community in its favor. BC Hydro then continued to

torment the residents of West Arrow Park with more drastic measures, such as cutting off bus

service which was previously mentioned. Being a government controlled utility company, the

residents had very little control throughout the entire process of land acquisition (153).

However, this graphic story did not end when the residents of West Arrow Park were forced

to leave their homes. A few years after the construction of the dam, BC Hydro decided that the

land they forcefully took from the residents of West Arrow Park was not needed after all. They

then proceeded to sell off the ghostly land of West Arrow Park, which only years earlier had

been a thriving community (154). How ironic that a government entity would tear land away

from families, forcing them to relocate and start new lives, only to turn around and sell the land

to the highest bidder. Was the Keenleyside Dam worth the heartache it caused to the residents of

Headings 9

West Arrow Park? Were the motives of BC Hydro all pure and good? The answers to these

questions might appear extremely obvious, but everyone must consider the facts and decide for

themselves.

Almost every new technology carries an associated risk factor; dams are no exception. This

was demonstrated in an unforgettable way by the infamous collapse of the South Fork Dam on

May 31, 1889. Located in southwestern Pennsylvania, this dam was constructed to serve as a

water reservoir. During a spring storm, the dam could simply not contain the amount of rain

water and eventually overtopped, which means that the water reached its maximum height and

started to spill over the dam. This caused the earthen structure to erode very quickly, causing a

flash flood (Jackson 11-12).This devastating flood ended up claiming the lives of more than

2,200 people, and remains a stark reminder of the deadly power that dams possess. Unfortunately

these types of disasters were fairly common during the early development of dams. As Eastwood

continued to design and construct dams in the West, he used the failures of others in order to

enhance the overall structural integrity of the dams he built (Jackson 12).

Espeland gives yet another example of how the very cultural identity of people were

sacrificed in order to construct a dam. The Orme Dam, located in central Arizona, was initially

conceived to be a multi-purpose dam, which would provide Phoenix with a source of water but

would also serve as a flood protection system (Espeland 299-300). However, the construction of

the dam would also have some devastating effects on a small Indian reservation located upstream

since this part of the region would become completely flooded. This small reservation, home to

the Yavapai tribe, was the only remaining piece of ancestral land that they possessed (Espeland

300). As Espeland explains, “in addition to forcing most of the residents to relocate from their

land, the reservoir would also flood several sites sacred to the Yavapai, including the Tribal

Headings 10

cemetery” (300). This was a devastating proposition to the Yavapai. They felt that their cultural

identity and the individuality they loved was being stripped away. To them, the loss of their land

was literally a threat to their very lives (Espeland 300). For example, take the words of the Tribal

Chairman: “ if that dam goes through my people will be no more” (qtd. in Espeland 300). To the

Yavapai people, the construction of the Orme Dam meant more than just having to relocate; it

meant giving up their cultural heritage and their very identity as a tribe.

Dams have posed a variety of threats on civilization since their inception, however modern

day measures are being taken to minimize a portion of these hazards. Catherine Cardno, who

holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, brings some new and interesting information to the table

regarding dam safety. She writes about how new imaging technologies can be used to inspect

dams for vulnerabilities. According to Cardno, “the new imaging system can model surface

deformations to determine any displacement anomalies in older dams with approximately 80%

less manpower and 60% less funding than require by traditional inspections” (32). The current

dam inspection techniques which are used require a significant amount of time and effort while

producing results that are inconsistent and inaccurate much of the time. This new imaging

system can create a 3-D model of the dam, using spherical coordinates. This model is then

processed and analyzed in order to determine structural integrity of the dam (Cardno 32). This

revolutionary technology can be performed in only a fraction of the time required for manual

inspections, and is much more accurate. Although these systems are still being used in

conjunction with manual inspections, the potential for increased safety that they bring to the dam

industry is encouraging. Dams will always be a threat to civilization, but one can be certain that

safety has dramatically improved over the past century.

Conclusion

Headings 11

So can dams, people, and the environment coexist peacefully? How about automobiles? Do

they coexist harmoniously with people and the environment? There really is no definite answer

to this question, and it is highly subjective to many different points of view. It is common

knowledge that automobile accidents account for thousands of deaths per year in the United

States alone, however people continue to drive cars. It is also known that automobiles produce a

large amount of pollution which is slowly deteriorating our environment, yet the gas pumps are

continually filling cars with toxic fuel.

Dams are not a perfect solution to modern day energy production or complex irrigation

systems, however what is a perfect solution? Even with their many shortcomings, dams do

provide a source of economic wealth, and promote environmental heath through irrigation, to a

certain degree. The main goal of this essay is not to convince one that dams are a perfect

solution, but rather to instill insight into what kind of effects they have on civilization and the

environment as a whole. The question of whether the positive aspects of dams outweigh the

negative ones is a personal decision which everyone must decide for themselves. So can dams,

people, and the environment coexist peacefully? It all depends on ones definition of “peace.”

Headings 12

Works Cited

Cardno, Catherine A. "Imaging System Saves Time and Money, Improves Dam Safety." Civil

Engineering (08857024) 78.6 (2008): 32. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 4 June

2011.

Cizek, Petr. "Hydro Hype, Dam Delusions." Alternatives Journal 30.1 (2004): 28-29.

Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 16 May 2011.

Clark, Bradley T. "River Restoration in the American West: Assessing Variation in

the Outcomes of Policy Change." Society & Natural Resources 22.5 (2009): 401-

416. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 May 2011.

Espeland, Wendy. "Power, Policy and Paperwork: The Bureaucratic Representation of

Interests."Qualitative Sociology 16.3 (1993): 297. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO.

Web. 16 May 2011.

Forest, Ken. "Money in Place of Food: A Good Deal?." BC Studies 161 (2009): 103-105.

Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 3 June 2011.

Grand Coulee Dam, Columbia Basin Reclamation Project, Wash. 1942. Farm Security

Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection from the Library of

Congress, 1944. American Memory. Lib. of Congress. 4 June. 2011

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/fsa2008000018/PP/

Jackson, Donald C. Building the Ultimate Dam: John S. Eastwood and the Control of Water in

the West. Lawrence, Kan.: University of Kansas, 1995. Print.

Kendall, Linda. "Death of a Community." BC Studies 142/143 (2004): 153-155. Academic

Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 16 May 2011.

Headings 13

Kent, Christopher A. "Water Resource Planning in the Yakima River Basin: Development vs.

Sustainability." Yearbook of the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers 66.(2004): 27-

60. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 May 2011.

Nersesian, Roy L. "Nuclear and Hydropower." Energy for the 21st Century a Comprehensive

Guide to Conventional and Alternative Sources. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2007. Print

Ortolano, Leonard, and Katherine Kao Cushing. "Grand Coulee Dam 70 Years Later: What Can

We Learn?." International Journal of Water Resources Development 18.3 (2002): 373-390.

Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 3 June 2011.