Adirondack Dams

Dams have been very important for people in the Adirondacks throughout history, providing energy, navigational points, bridges and so much more to the nearby communities. Historically they have meant different things; for example, loggers used dams to increase the traveling speed of their logs while today they are primarily used for energy. But is the convenience of a dam actually worth the environmental impact? Where do you draw the line?

With the passing of Hurricane Irene, Adirondackers found the Duck Hole dam destroyed. Its function, like a surprising number of dams today was to retain local populations in one large lake that would be invasive and damaging to fish populations downstream. Rebuilding it would avoid this potential ecological shift but would also reestablish the technically unnatural ecosystem in these technically artificial lakes. Taking this into account, the Department of Environmental Conservation decided not to support the rebuilding of the dam saying, "the very definition of wilderness is that the human imprint on the environment is not evident." The problem is clearly not black and white; sometimes, removing human impact can have surprisingly damaging effects on the environment. Similar situations are very common as old dams have begun to fall apart throughout the whole park.

Duck Hole Dam

This isn't however the only issue regarding the dams in the Adirondacks. Destroying many will cause transportation issues as condensed lakes are converted into smaller, shallow lakes with more surface area. This destroys local habitats and settlements. There are also more ecological issues at stake with some of these dams. The Hillsboro dam was created to stop Sea Lamprey spawning upstream, but also has a negative effect on the salmon population, eliminating the population of a self-contained population in the park. Being one of the most common game fish out there, this also has an effect on tourism.

Overall, the balance between human prosperity and maintenance of the true wildness of the park is nearly impossible to perfect. Dams can be useful for the upkeep of a human population, but they can also have a wide range of effects on the environment, perfect for highlighting the balance between humans and nature.

http://www.suncommunitynews.com/sports/damned-dams-adirondacks/

http://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/dams-and-wilderness