Disadvantages of the glen canyon dam?

Answer 1

There are many opponents to dams, for many reasons, not the least of which is the destruction and devastation a dam collapse can bring.

There are a number of disadvantages to existing dams:

• dams detract from natural settings, ruin nature's work
• dams have inundated the spawning grounds of fish
• dams have inhibited the seasonal migration of fish
• dams have endangered some species of fish
• dams may have inundated the potential for archaeological findings
• reservoirs can foster diseases if not properly maintained
• reservoir water can evaporate significantly
• some researchers believe that reservoirs can cause earthquakes

Recently listed endangered or threatened species of salmon include:

• Puget Sound chinook
• the Lower Columbia River chinook
• Upper Columbia spring chinook
• Lake Ozette sockeye
• Hood Canal summer chum
• Lower Columbia chum
• the Mid-Columbia steelhead
• and the steelhead and chinook in the Upper Willamette River

There are also disadvantages to building new dams:

• the reservoir created by the dam may inundate land, crops, cities and villages
• people may be displaced by the reservoir and have to find new homes
• the reservoir may cause instability of the hillsides

Each dam may stir up its own controversy because of some impact it has had or will have on its surroundings.

Answer 2

• The Grand Coulee Dam killed over 10 men while working on the dam