Demonizing Hydroelectric?

[MtPockets]

Report estimates Lower Snake River dams, reservoirs emit millions of tons of greenhouse gases

Hydroelectric dams in the Columbia River Basin lauded for providing clean energy might be emitting more greenhouse gases than previously known, according to a new report from the environmental group T

www.columbian.com

I'm no scientist, so hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me can enlighten us.

This sure smells strongly of male bovine excrement and (in my opinion) is a logical extension of the "wind and solar are our only options" crowd.

Any actual scientists among us who can factually discuss this?

I'm not looking for the "I play a scientist on TV" types, I'm talking real honest to goodness experts...

 

[Muddyboots]

US Geological Survey has many publications on this phenomenon where methane is greater off moving water versus static water. Tell the **** Truth organization is cherry picking data like all special interest groups do to fit their own narrative.
USGS estimates 50% of ALL methane emissions comes from wetlands, bogs, surface water. Now why isn't this evidential data widely publicized? Oh heck NO! You can't tell people we have been lying all this time. Interesting USGS is a federal agency but seems to be still truthful based on science and data. Removing the dam has nothing to do with emissions rather they hate dams. The methane comes from decomposing materials which is released in water. The methane will still be there dam or no dam. Darn it!

 

[MtPockets]

I thought it was interesting that they point to "loss of tidal wetlands" as one of the problems.

Wouldnt those tidal wetlands also give off methane???

I agree, as is typical they seem to very much cherry pick their talking points.

Sounds like they also include data from the contruction of the dams, but I would think that after ~60 years the effects are very minimal.

 

[RichCoyle]

I hope they are. We need C O2 for plants
They breath it to stay alive.

 

[Frog4aday]

Quote from opening paragraph of the URL article:
"Hydroelectric dams in the Columbia River Basin lauded for providing clean energy might be emitting more greenhouse gases than previously known, according to a new report from the environmental group Tell The Dam Truth."

I really didn't need to read further. The environmental groups want the dams gone so one of them comes out with a report that, oh so conveniently, says that this clean energy source is now (miraculously) bad. I'm not buying it.

 

[comfisherman]

Ha, pac nw kills the dams they would de industrialize faster than Germany currently is... just be pretty forests and meth.

 

[MtPockets]

Ha, pac nw kills the dams they would de industrialize faster than Germany currently is... just be pretty forests and meth.

I see that Oregon has recriminalized drugs. Funny, when they decriminalized them DRUG USE WENT UP???
Who would've thought???

 

[Bob Wright]

So the total elimination of dams and hydro-electric these produce, store freshwater, prevent seasonal flooding, provide recreation, create a massive revenue base to use for many other projects is bad according to this group.
That's all we need to know.
There were no CO2 studies. They used old environmental impact statements to create "data". They threw in CO2 from construction equipment when these dams broke ground and lumped that in.
One look at the editorial pages of this news source puts this all into perspective. They do not like dams of any kind.
In my neck of the woods, without Colorado River hydro and storage, without the Salt River and Verde series of 5 dams that store water, Southern Cal, Nevada and Arizona would be uninhabitable, no farming would exist and it would have changed the world by lack of manufacturing and production of aerospace and defense, precious metals, computer hardware, on and on. We cannot just remove dams based on shoddy "science".
I'm all on board with mini nukes and nuclear fusion to compliment hydro. Solar and wind will not produce reliable clean electricity. It's filthy to produce the equipment and batteries and these projects are being challenged across the lower 48 even by environmental groups.

 

[comfisherman]

That whole area is paradoxical sadly. For as bad as Multnomah County is, everything east of the the Dalles makes Texas and Florida look positively lefty. Good hard working folks, honestly some of the best I've ever met in all my travels.

The dam issue is a wild one, but it's part of a bigger social contagion. Namely rejecting established societal foundational supports because of thin modern moral whims. Nothing like tearing down nukes and demonizing dams just to place it with expensive, inconsistent and equally pollution to produce "green" power systems.

Sadly when 51% wants to commit slow cultural suicide the 49% get drug along.

 

[MtPockets]

That whole area is paradoxical sadly. For as bad as Multnomah County is, everything east of the the Dalles makes Texas and Florida look positively lefty. Good hard working folks, honestly some of the best I've ever met in all my travels.

The dam issue is a wild one, but it's part of a bigger social contagion. Namely rejecting established societal foundational supports because of thin modern moral whims. Nothing like tearing down nukes and demonizing dams just to place it with expensive, inconsistent and equally pollution to produce "green" power systems.

Sadly when 51% wants to commit slow cultural suicide the 49% get drug along.

Agree 1000%.

I think part of their mindset is what they've been taught in school- anything us older generations were taught is a lie.

 

[K.E.C.]

Okay let's take Boulder Dam ( Hoover ) apart and level off Niagara . We don't need the Electricity or the Water that they provide. REALLY WHAT'S NEXT

 

[3chester]

How about say $3,000 dollar annual Tax credit if a guy heats his cabin/ house with firewood that was cut, split, dried and burned by the occupant. No windmill in the yard or solar panels on the roof needed, just a wood burning stove, a chainsaw, a wood splitter and a 4X4 for a bit of woods/ forest management. Fewer forest fires, more good exercise and the dead trees don't go to waste. Saves the Smokejumpers, a bit of work.

 

[Hand Skills]

I can't get past the part where CO² is supposedly a problem.

It's heavier than air...

How does it become a greenhouse gas if it falls to earth for plants to breathe and turn into oxygen.

The whole precept makes absolutely no sense

DONT THINK FOR YOURSELF

TRUST THE AUTHORITY

(wait, isn't that how Swamplord got banned??? )

 

[birddog 68]

Trust the science. It's awfully tough to do this when so many scientists are caught just plain lying whether it's for monetary gain or their ego.
That's correct I am what's called a science denier.