EarthCurrent's Dam Adventure

Mariah Ketchum · Post by **Mariah Ketchum** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 9:19 pm

Ah, but nature changes all the time without human help. Animals adapt, change their enviroment, or die off, even with our help and/or without human hinderance.

CaTaClYsM · Post by **CaTaClYsM** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 9:20 pm

Vegas Vacation movie wrote:Hello I am your dam guide and this is your dam tour.

EarthCurrent · Post by **EarthCurrent** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 9:50 pm

Mariah Ketchum wrote:Ah, but nature changes all the time without human help. Animals adapt, change their enviroment, or die off, even with our help and/or without human hinderance.

Does that mean that Human's then, should not consider the consequences of their actions merely because of a perception that we too are merely acting within the confines of the "natural order" of things?

I would consider that wishful thinking.

jonmartensen · Post by **jonmartensen** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 11:22 pm

earthcurrent wrote:
Mariah Ketchum wrote:Ah yes, Rimmer and his plans to become a captain by boot-licking enough.

I don't like dams much, but I like the lakes they create! 8)
It is unfortunate, however, that the "lakes they create" destroy local biota and habitat and drastically change the temperature and sediment regimes in the downstream region of the outflow.

Not to mention the massive amounts of CO2 released through the decomposition of all the biological matter killed in the flooding process.

One certainly has to be impressed by the amazing things people have created, but must always be aware of the side effects of such creations.

CaTaClYsM · Post by **CaTaClYsM** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 11:29 pm

like anything made out of wood means there's a dead tree kind of stuff? or the bacon I ate this morning.

jonmartensen · Post by **jonmartensen** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 12:28 am

Yes, plant matter. Though some foul smells can be made after eating the wrong type of food (Taco Bell)

EarthCurrent · Post by **EarthCurrent** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 12:53 am

jonmartensen wrote:Yes, plant matter. Though some foul smells can be made after eating the wrong type of food (Taco Bell)

CO2 has no smell. The smell that you are refering to actually comes a process called "eutrophication". Eutrophication is a natural process in nature, but has been exacerbated by human activities -- most notably the increased discharge of nitrates from surface run off from agriculture regions. The increased nitrates, along with other chemicals, can overstimulate the growth of algae leading to an algal bloom. The bloom and subsequent die off chokes out oxygen in the water, as decomposers use most of it in dealing with the dead algae. The result is stagnation to varying degrees. A dam increases the impact of eutrophication because it slows flow, allowing for the buildup of nitrates, and increases surface water temperature, creating prime conditions for an algal bloom.

SSJVegita0609 · Post by **SSJVegita0609** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 6:11 pm

earthcurrent wrote:
Mariah Ketchum wrote:Ah, but nature changes all the time without human help. Animals adapt, change their enviroment, or die off, even with our help and/or without human hinderance.
Does that mean that Human's then, should not consider the consequences of their actions merely because of a perception that we too are merely acting within the confines of the "natural order" of things?

I would consider that wishful thinking.

Owned.

Anyways, the lakes are very detrimental yes, but whats worse is the more spread out effect taken on the rest of what was previously a river downstream from the dam. Anyways, EC, what are your feelings on the Yang-see (sp?) dam project in China? On the one hand we've got a massive power generator sure to boost the country through developemental stages at light speed plus the prevention of future flooding thats previously killed millions, but at the same time we've got the massive population movement, the loss of indiginous artifacts and cultures, and the unfathomed environmental consequences. The question is, is it really worth it? Plus what if there's a mistake in the design and the dam somehow collapses, although thats extremely unlikely, it'd create a tidal wave huge enough to wipe out a good percentage of the country. Your thoughts?

Lyrs · Post by **Lyrs** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 6:26 pm

Thinking of dams, i saw that PBS show on Allied bombing of Axis dams. It was quite a spetical...if only more footage was in color.

/end

jonmartensen · Post by **jonmartensen** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 6:43 pm

earthcurrent wrote:
jonmartensen wrote:Yes, plant matter. Though some foul smells can be made after eating the wrong type of food (Taco Bell)
CO2 has no smell. The smell that you are refering to actually comes a process called "eutrophication". Eutrophication is a natural process in nature, but has been exacerbated by human activities -- most notably the increased discharge of nitrates from surface run off from agriculture regions. The increased nitrates, along with other chemicals, can overstimulate the growth of algae leading to an algal bloom. The bloom and subsequent die off chokes out oxygen in the water, as decomposers use most of it in dealing with the dead algae. The result is stagnation to varying degrees. A dam increases the impact of eutrophication because it slows flow, allowing for the buildup of nitrates, and increases surface water temperature, creating prime conditions for an algal bloom.

Actually I wasn't refering to any smell other than the one you get from eating at Taco Bell

I geuss I didn't place that joke very well.

I was just stating that the CO2 release (over a period of years) is massive enough, in many cases, that it rivals the amount of CO2 released in other more "traditional" methods of generating electricity