A real dammed delemma

[lupine52]

So I was reading a story today about the Colorado river and Glen Canyon Dam the one that creates Lake Powell.  The article says that the dam has helped prevent smallmouth bass deemed an invasive species from attacking humpback chub a threatened species that lives in the river below the dam

Comments

[schnee]

I'm honestly not sure the whole idea of "invasive" and "native" and "threatened" species makes sense - the latter outside of contexts where the threat is human behavior anyway.

I mean, different species (fish in this case) competing with each other for resources in the same ecosystem is simply nature, isn't it? So far as we know this sort of thing has been going on for billions of years, literally.

I'm all in favor of get-away spots for nighttime swims and the like though. :)

[sabotlours]

I feel as though you're almost baiting me with this one. *lol* Yes, Glen Canyon Dam has been controversial ever since it was proposed. It flooded a magnificent canyon system that was accessible to a few thousand hikers and rafters. The reservoir, however, opened up the area for millions to enjoy. It's still beautiful, but artificial

[lupine52]

I appreciate your insight, and thanks for taking the time to comment.

it was nice to see things from your POV :-)

[sunfire]

Humans built the dam and altered nature in the first place, so would it be interfering with nature or giving control back to nature? What would the restored canyon lands be used for? Considering that the west is bone dry these days, no one should be in any hurry to eliminate a water source such as Lake Powell. I wouldn't worry about the fish too much, nature finds a way, despite the thousands of species that humans have pushed to extinction.