Hello to Portland!
Since I initially set this blog up to address a particular local issue, it's interesting how much traffic comes in from Portland. Who are you, Oregonian readers? Hello! (You're not really looking for Milwaukie, are you?)
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- The River Otter
- Milwaukee, WI, United States
- There's too much crazy amazing stuff happening in this city not to document some of it on the W W W.
9 comments:
Greetings form Oregon! There are a few of us out here who grew up in Milwaukee and are very interested in this issue. On my block alone there are 4 people who grew up in Milwaukee and we are all interested in this issue. My personal interests in watershed restoration and urban greenspace also have me interested in how both sides of the issue view the happenings. What some people fail to undserstand is that this is not just a issue for a few folks in Glendale, or even just Milwaukee. You should know that this issue is not one just for the small number of people who have property along the impoundment, though I do have a brother who owns a home on Rock Pl and is in favor of dam removal- he dare not say this to his neighbors who have a hard time seeing the big picture. He can read the writing on the wall (economic and environmental issues)and is looking forward to a restored river in his backyard.
Having grown up in the area and being witness to the change in Milwaukee River over the last 20 years, I hope that the river resotration efforts can continue. Dam removal and dam issues in general are a very hot topic out here as well. Recently there was a dam removal on a few of our local rivers(Sandy River and Marmot dam & White Salmon River and Condit Dam-happening soon) and the same things were being said against dam removal by a small but vocal group of property owners around the dams. They rellied on scare tactics to try and convince the public on what a bad idea dam removal is. The Marmot Dam was removed and the Sandy River flows free once again, the concerns about the negative effects of dam removal were not founded in reality. The river flushed out the sediments and now is flowing over beautiful gravels once again.
Another area I lived in that faced similar issues was in Missoula, MT and the Milltown Dam at the confluence of the Clark Fork and the Big Blackfoot River. This was a huge issue as well and has many similarities to the Estabrook situation. The Milltown Dam held back many toxic sediments from past mining operations and this theatened the entire Upper Columbia drainage and Missoula's aquifer. It was in need of major repairs and a massive threat to Missoula and the entire Columbia drainage. The Dam was successfully removed last year and no damage was done to the aquifer or the upper Columbia.
These are things to celebrate and demonstrate how we all can move forward past outdated watershed management ideas. Dams don't help flood control, aquatic life or communities bottom line. The benefits of a free flowing river are too numerous to mention. I encourage you to do some research on this issue and get beyond your fear of losing your "lake", and look forward to gaining a river once again.
Here's a few links regarding the dam removals I mentioned.
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2004/12/21/news/top/news01.txt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISLInzprz3M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaNb2wouYUk
http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Article_view_articleid_29770_display_full_
I am looking at the whole picture and one aspect of it is carbon footprint- if the lake were not available, organizations such as the Urban Ecology Center would need to travel much farther if the kids were to paddle on similar waters, as would others. Also, the water is not diverted from the basin- it does get to where it is going, just at a slightly later time, unlike in many parts of the American West where rivers are diverted, drying watersheds and harming communities farther south.
oh come on river otter,
you don't really want us to believe that allowing the dam to be removed is somehow going to increase the carbon footprint of the urban ecology center. Give me a break.
I enjoy your blog, but I hope you are not becoming increasingly hysterical and incoherent like the guy who is the VP of your organization. He really did your side a disservice with his rude and inappropriate behavior at the cty. board meeting.
Coulee, the guy to whom you are referring is not on the MRPA board.
my mistake. apologies to your vp.
First hydroelectric power generation, now carbon footprint reduction? Come on! Now you are REALLY grasping at anything and everything to try and keep your cause afloat. Keep grasping, because you are slowly starting to go under!
BEK
BEK-
Everyone is telling me how much we all- myself included- will benefit from dam removal, so where does your "go under" comment come from? Please clarify!
By "going under", I mean that the pro-dam repair people will never win. There just isn't any money. That dam is coming down, it's just a matter of time.
BEK
Actually, BEK, I will address the first of your two comments here in a separate post. (Probably tomorrow. Or today, depending on one's perspective.)
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