Mr. President, Tear Down This Dam!
September 5, 2008 by ivotearizona
Water resources are an incredible asset to Arizona. Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings regarding the long term effects of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, its downstream communities, the hydro-sustained ecosystems and yes, even the climate.
But are these warnings based on fact? Should the dam be removed? Should we return the Colorado River to its original habitat? Can the Colorado River be sustained forever without a major disruption of the downstream plant and wildlife? What would we gain and what would we lose if we instructed the Federal Government to “tear down this dam!”\
Is it possible to have a rationale and civil conversation about an issue as profound as this or, will emotions and politics grip the participants and disable their ability to listen, think, reason and act, if action is indeed called for?
Is the Glen Canyon Dam even an asset to us anymore…was it ever an asset? In fact, how much revenue does the dam produce for the State of Arizona from all sources, including tourism and the sale of electricity?
I think the damage is done; tearing it down will only increase the problems. In AZ it is just a matter of time before we run out of water and keeping some of it behind the cement helps out.