Rivers of the ‘Dammed,’ Rising from the Grave
By Megan Ewald, NOAA Office of Response and Restoration
Oil spills, hazardous waste, and ship groundings hex America’s oceans and rivers every year. Pollution drives people away from beaches, leaving them silent as a boneyard. NOAA looks for ways to bring waterways back to life. To do this, NOAA and our partners often look for opportunities to remove or bypass barriers for fish passage such as dams, faulty culverts, or grates. This is the sordid tale of six dammed rivers, where pollution settlements provided the opportunity for waters across America to rise from the grave.