Fish to Celebrate Centennial Removal of Dilapidated Dam

After one hundred years of frustrated swimming, finned species of the Salmon River once more might wend their way into the St. Lawrence River and beyond. The Salmon River, located in upstate New York, borders Canada. Its Fort Covington dam, built in 1913, has not functioned since the 1940s — when a nearby plant shut down.

The dam’s removal should cost about $200,000 and take place over the course of a month. While angler’s await their hooks with baited breath, some environmentalists point out less positive consequences. Carp, which currently cannot get past the dam, “tend to muddy up the water and the increased turbidity could perhaps interfere with the spawning of native minnows, which are a major food source for larger predators,” predicts Rich Preall, a senior aquatics biologist with the state Department of Environmental Conservation. But he and his colleagues told AP that the benefits should greatly outweigh the risks.

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Source: Newsday