>> CONSERVING THE LANDS AND WATERWAYS SO THAT PLANTS AND
ANIMALS CAN THRIVE IN THEIR NATURAL HABITAT IS THE PRIME
OBJECTIVE FOR MOST WATERSHED ASSOCIATIONS AND RIVER GROUPS.
DAM REMOVALS ARE QUITE OFTEN THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE THESE ENDS, BUT
THAT PROCESS USUALLY TAKES A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME AND
FUNDRAISING - WITH THE EMPHASIS ON THE LATTER.
FOR THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A DAM ON ONE OF
THEIR PROPERTIES THAT WON'T REQUIRE MUCH OF EITHER AND COULD
BE REMOVED BEFORE THE NEW YEAR IS OUT.
CONNECTING POINT'S BRIAN SULLIVAN TRAVELED TO THE
FARTHEST SOUTHWEST CORNER OF MASSACHUSETTS TO BRING US THIS
STORY.
>> THIS DAM IN HOLYOKE IS JUST ONE OF OVER 3,000 LOCATED IN THE
COMMONWEALTH.
SINCE 1902, IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE LONGEST STANDING DAMS IN THE
COUNTRY AND STILL SERVES AS A MAJOR COG IN MAJOR GAS IN
HOLIAC, AND LIKE THIS ONE IN CHICOPEE FALLS OR INDIAN ORCHARD
GENERATING HYDROELECTRIC POWER THERE'S MANY ACROSS THE STATE
WHOSE ORIGINAL PURPOSE IS A THING OF THE PAST.
WHILE THEY'RE NICE TO LOOK AT THE TRUTH IS IT CAN BE A
HINDRANCE ON THE HEALTH OF A ECOSYSTEM WHICH IS LIKE AN
ORGANIZATION LIKE THE NATURE CONSERVE SI WILL STEP IN TO
CREATE THE WAY IT WAS BEFORE.
LIKE TEARING THE DAM HERE LIKE THEY DID IN LEEDS.
THE LATEST STRUCTURE TO BE ADDED IN THE CHOPPING BOOK COULD BE IN
MOUNT WASHINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS ON THIS TRACT OF LAND THAT THE
NATURE CONSERVE SI PURCHASED IN 1999.
THE DAM AT BECCA POND IS JUST ONE OF 45 ECOLOGICAL SITES AS A
PRIORITY SITES.
BUT GETTING THERE, WELL, THAT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF DOING.
TO SAY THIS LOCATION IS REMOTE IS A BIT OF AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
SOME FOLKS MIGHT BE WONDERING HOW THIS DAM WAS GIVEN PRIORITY
TAU BY THE STATE WHEN IT'S IN A TOWN THAT HAS FEWER THAN 200
PEOPLE LIVING IN IT.
I WONDERED THE SAME THING MYSELF.
ONE REASON MIGHT BE THE PRICE TAG.
WHILE SOME REMOVALS CAN COST IN THE MAIN LANES THIS ONE HERE
COMES JUST UNDER 100,000 BUT THAT PRICE HAS MORE TO DO THAT
NO LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS ON THE PROCESS IT'S ON THE
ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
>> THIS IS A DAM THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO REMOVE BECAUSE OF
THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.
THIS IS A COLD WATER STREAM.
THE FACT THAT IT'S ACTUALLY IN A MORE REMOTE AREA IS PART OF THE
REASON THAT IT'S A PRIORITY FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION SO BY
REMOVING THIS DAM WE'RE GOING TO RECONNECT UPSTREAM AND DOWN
STRAM HABITAT FOR SPECIES LIKE BROOK TROUT WHICH LIKE COLD,
CLEAN WATER.
ALSO REMOVING THE DAM, WE'RE GETTING RID OF THAT WARM WATER
IMPOUNDMENT SO WE'RE RESTORING THE HABITAT FOR SPECIES THAT
LIKE THAT TYPE OF STREAM.
>> DAMS IN THE STATE FALL INTO 3 CATEGORIES: HIGH, SIGNIFICANT
OR LOW HAZARD DEPENDING ON ITS POTENTIAL FAILURE COULD IMPACT
FUTURE LIFE AND PROPERTY.
BECCA POND DOESN'T LAND IN ANY OF THESE HEADINGS.
IT'S A DOLLAR AND CAN SAY FOR THE NATURE CONSERVE SI LIVING UP
TO THE BIODIVERSITY, PLANTS AND ANIMALS.
>> THE DAM HAS A BIG CRACK IN WHAT'S CALLED THE RETAINING
WALLS WHICH IS THE WALLS WHERE IT'S COMING DOWN AS IT'S
CROSSING THE DAM.
THERE'S A BRIDGE ACROSS THE DAM WHICH PEOPLE USE TO WALK ACROSS
IT.
WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE PICTURES THE BRIDGE IS KIND OF
ASKEW.
IT'S NOT SAFE TO WALK ON AND SOON IT'S GOING TO FALL IN AND
THE WALLS WILL BREAK AND FALL INTO THE STREAM.
IF WE WERE TO KEEP THE DAM WE WOULD HAVE TO FIX IT AND
MAINTAIN IT AND THAT'S VERY COSTLY.
>> THE CONVERSION FROM DAM TO A FREE-FLOWING RIVER SYSTEM IS A
MEANS FOR THE CONSERVE SI TO COMBAT THE CLIMATE CHANGE.
COLD WATER FISH WHICH ARE INDICATORS MAY BE RELEGATED TO
ONE SMALL AREA DUE TO THE IMPOUNDMENTS.
THE DAM REMOVAL AT BECCA POND WILL ENHANCE THE FISH AND THEIR
SURROUNDINGS.
>> WHAT WE WANT TO CREATE CONNECTED HABITAT WHEN WE HAVE
CONNECTED COLD WATER SYSTEMS THE FISH WITHIN THAT SYSTEM CAN MOVE
TO SEEK REFUGE FROM HOT WEATHER OR HIGH FLOWS AND SO IT'S REALLY
THE CONNECTED NETWORK THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
>> THAT CONNECTIVITY EVENTUALLY INCLUDES THE THIS RIVER.
BUT AS FAR AS DAMS ARE CONCERNED ON A PERSONAL LEVEL I'VE ALWAYS
BEEN FASCINATED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE COMBINATION OF HUMAN-MADE
AND NATURE-MADE.
THERE'S JUST SOMETHING EXTREMELY NEW ENGLAND ABOUT WATERFALLS AND
THE GIANT GRANITE STRUCTURES THAT THEY SPILL OVER AND MOST IF
NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR SO LONG THAT THEY'RE THE
ONLY LANDSCAPE THAT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY
RESIDE HAVE EVER KNOWN.
TAKING THEM AWAY BECAUSE THEY DON'T SERVE A PURPOSE ANYMORE
CAN BE A BITTER PILL FOR THOSE US WHO FIND SOLAS AND SOUND IN
THEIR PRESENCE.
>> A DAM'S USEFULNESS DEPENDS WHO YOU ASK THE QUESTION FOR.
THE MISSION IS TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY, PLANTS AND
ANIMALS.
THIS DOES NOT HELP OUR PURPOSE.
IF WE WERE LANDOWNERS WHO USE THE POND FOR SWIMMING AND ICE
SKATING AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS WE MIGHT DECIDE IT'S
STILL USEFUL AND FIX IT BUT THAT'S NOT OUR MISSION.
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