Damnation
Patagonia Films
Starting during
the Great Depression our government began a crusade against the free flowing
rivers of America. The Department of Reclamation began blocking up almost
every water way throughout the 20th century. These dams bring death
to the fish that call these rivers home. Damnation's goal was to shed
light on the dark side of America’s hydro power addiction. The documentary interviewed
numerous scholars who are respected on the topic, they spoke on how damns
prevent the flow of fish back up stream to their spawning beds. This decimates
populations of Salmon, Steel head (rainbow trout that journey to the ocean), and
trout. The effects are especially destructive in the northwest were salmon represent a keystone species in the ecosystem. They put on “95% of their body mass in the
marine environment”, so when they return to mountain streams to spawn they “act
as a nitrogen pump for the ecosystem.” This allows trees, insects, bears, and
birds to thrive in a healthy environment. The film employs cold hard facts such
as these ones in conjunction with anecdotes from those who are emotionally
affected by the damns taking of natural beauty. Once these damns go up “the
river is no longer a river it is a stagnant lake.” This new environment is no
longer friendly to the native fish but helps the spread of invasive species
that prey on their native counterparts. In many cases the rising waters of reservoirs
also devour beautiful land that was cherished by people and inhabited by
wildlife. Now people are finally waking up to the evils brought about by these relics
of a society with no respect for the planet they live on. Damns with no
economic contributions are being removed bringing the rivers they sat in back
to life. History has shown us just how resilient these fish populations are, given half a chance. Help support our Nation’s watersheds and sign the petition
to tear down the 4 dams killing the Snake River. Your voice can help reopen
one of the largest and widest Salmon fisheries in the world, just go to https://www.change.org/p/barack-obama-crack-down-on-deadbeat-dams. Together we can save America’s watersheds, starting with the Snake River.
