Dustin+Rhodes+Wiki

media type="youtube" key="rCXR1r99-2s" height="344" width="425" align="right" The one thing about nature that is a constant is that it’s constantly changing. Once a dam has been put in place, it highly impacts the ecosystem. Dam’s create change both upstream and downstream on a river or stream. Often creating a reservoir upstream and drastically changing the dynamics of an ecosystem. Removing a dam exposes fresh, nutrient rich sediment that is perfect for fast growing plant species to move in //(Stanley and Doyle. 2003).// This is also prime habitat for invasive species to gain a foothold in an otherwise “pure” ecosystem. It should also be said that although there have been sightings of migratory fish moving in after a dam has been removed, there has been no public articles that supports an increase in the population of those fish following a removal//(Stanley and Doyle. 2003)//. There can be many problems caused by removing a dam. There can also be many positive affects resulting from dam removal. As mentioned above, nature is constantly changing. There are disturbances that occur all the time. And just as building a dam can be considered a disturbance, so can the removal of one. The mud flats that are formed by the sediment behind a dam once it is removed in essence create a new flood plane for the newly reformed river //(Stanley and Doyle. 2003).// Through the process of succession, dam removal creates a new riparian zone. Dam removal can therefore be considered a valuable tool for riparian restoration //(Stanley and Doyle. 2003).// So dam removal is not just beneficial for the aquatic biota of a river. It is also beneficial for the terrestrial flora and fauna, creating new habitat for their occupation. From a human perspective, dam removal creates a new recreation experience that was not there before as well as the chance to view species that would not have inhabited the area when a dam was in place.
 * Cons**
 * Pros**

Emily H. Stanley and Martin W. Doyle, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Vol. 1, Feb. 2003, Trading off: The Ecological Effects of Dam Removal, pp. 15-22.
 * Citations**