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If anyone is interested in seeing how a river returns after dams are removed look into the Upper Elwha and Glines Canyon dams in Washington. The changes in the

If anyone is interested in seeing how a river returns after dams are removed look into the Upper Elwha and Glines Canyon dams in Washington. The changes in the last 10 years are pretty incredible. There are also cool videos of the dams actually being demolished.

doitLP 3y ago
Here’s a good one: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3ooEH3cGHs https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3ooEH3cGHs
civilitty 3y ago
Well, that's terrifying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQusj6tD97w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQusj6tD97w It's basically just a floating barge with an excavator chipping away at the dam a little bit every day, while water rushes past it through the damage.
- whartung 3y ago
  I guess the game is to simply not let the holes be big enough to lose the barge through, and the motive power to be able to pull away from the current of the water going over (either on the barge, or maybe there was a shore winch). It's also kind of amazing that the dam was essentially destroyed with a single guy and a single (large) jack hammer.
  - Arrath 3y ago
    As I recall, the barge had very limited motive power and was instead anchored to multiple points, positioning itself by using winches on those lines.
  - gibspaulding 3y ago
    > It's also kind of amazing that the dam was essentially destroyed with a single guy and a single (large) jack hammer. I was thinking the same thing. I know that being a heavy equipment operator is probably mind numbingly boring a lot of the time, but this particular job looks like it would have been incredibly satisfying.
Arrath 3y ago
There's the White Salmon, too.
aendruk 3y ago
The changed river eventually washed out the road leading up to the dam: https://kvalhe.im/@andrew/107798167488087326 https://kvalhe.im/@andrew/107798167488087326 You can still hike up to it and walk on top of the remaining dam structure, and since the washout the area has the feel of a ghost town.

doitLP 3y ago

Here’s a good one: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3ooEH3cGHs https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3ooEH3cGHs

civilitty 3y ago

Well, that's terrifying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQusj6tD97w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQusj6tD97w It's basically just a floating barge with an excavator chipping away at the dam a little bit every day, while water rushes past it through the damage.

whartung 3y ago
I guess the game is to simply not let the holes be big enough to lose the barge through, and the motive power to be able to pull away from the current of the water going over (either on the barge, or maybe there was a shore winch). It's also kind of amazing that the dam was essentially destroyed with a single guy and a single (large) jack hammer.
- Arrath 3y ago
  As I recall, the barge had very limited motive power and was instead anchored to multiple points, positioning itself by using winches on those lines.
- gibspaulding 3y ago
  > It's also kind of amazing that the dam was essentially destroyed with a single guy and a single (large) jack hammer. I was thinking the same thing. I know that being a heavy equipment operator is probably mind numbingly boring a lot of the time, but this particular job looks like it would have been incredibly satisfying.

Arrath 3y ago

There's the White Salmon, too.

aendruk 3y ago

The changed river eventually washed out the road leading up to the dam: https://kvalhe.im/@andrew/107798167488087326 https://kvalhe.im/@andrew/107798167488087326 You can still hike up to it and walk on top of the remaining dam structure, and since the washout the area has the feel of a ghost town.