CANADA: 'Hydro Power is breaking our hearts'

[Fresno Farms]

Jeff Strickland:
> "Fresno Farms" wrote in message

> >   People see "pretty" mountain reservoirs and don't think
> > much about it.  But building a reservoir results
> > in 100% habitat destruction.  Typically, reservoirs
> > (to maximize water volume) are built on rare "flats" and
> > meadow areas, which are extremely important biodiversity areas.
> >    Thus due to the rare topography, reservoirs are often
> > located on critical migration routs (deer and such) and
> > (say,) fawning areas.  Deer drowning mortality rates alone
> > can be high enough to wipe out a deer population within
> > a few years.  And of course, no more timber, into the
> > foreseeable foture.
> >
> 
> Deer drowning!? We have a new reservior in our area, it was built similiarly
> to the scenario you suggested, flat land surrounded by hills. 

The scenario I'm talking about is *mountains* and mule deer. 
Migration is to avoid the killing snows. They migrate up and
down the mountains. 

> I have to take
> exception to your assertion that deer drown as a result.

I'm just citing a local EIS (paid for by the
prospective dam builder).  Part of the supposed
mitigation was trash gards on the water intakes, and 
a deer path on top of the 300 foot tall dam. 

>  We haven't got deer
> around here, but it took YEARS to fill the reservior, certainly the deer
> would have migrated away long before they were required to learn to swim.

Sorta like New Yorkers migrate to Florada when
they retire?  Perhaps into a condo with the deer
that already live there?  You have much to learn 
about deer and ecology. 

If an ecologist goes deer hunting, it's not
hunting, it's meat harvesting. 

> Not only did it take years to fill, it took a decade to build. Surely the
> deer (if there were any) would have moved on long before they drown.

Assuming they had human intelligence, rather than
instinct, to where?  Have you ever wondered why
a certain deer population (or any wild animal) has 
that population number?   There is no place to move, 
if there was a "good spot," it would already be full.