Isn’t the real water quality problem the sewage discharge to the river, not dams?
The water quality problems posed by dams are at least as serious than those caused by wastewater plant discharge. Some communities, including Ann Arbor, send treated wastewater into the Huron River. This discharge is regulated by the MDEQ through a federal permit program. Over the past 35 years, this program has been largely responsible for significant improvements in water quality in the Huron River. What are the effects of a dam on a river? Dams prevent rivers from doing what they’re supposed to do: move water and sediment. They put a chokehold on the life within the river: preventing the flow of plants and nutrients, impeding the migration of fish and other wildlife, and blocking recreational use. Dams slow rivers: Many fish species depend on steady flows to flush them downriver early in their life and guide them upstream years later to spawn. Stagnant reservoir pools disorient migrating fish and block or significantly increase the duration of their migration. Dams alter water tempe
