In my area of Pa. and in Wisconsin too, we owe a lot of our man made lakes to the beer industry's need for ice. The lake I live on is one. Ice harvesting was big business 100 years ago. I've often wondered if all these man made lakes made the environment better. I think they have benefited many species, like the beaver, otter and eagle, not to mention fish. I also wonder if the original Native population would have benefited from all these lakes. My hunch is it would have.
Certainly all dams aren't good. Ones that prevented fish migrations were ecological disasters. At one time the Susquehanna had a tremendous shad run, but no more. Many salmon runs have also been destroyed. It is a good thing that these things are considered today and we are trying to return things to a more natural state.
Certainly all dams aren't good. Ones that prevented fish migrations were ecological disasters. At one time the Susquehanna had a tremendous shad run, but no more. Many salmon runs have also been destroyed. It is a good thing that these things are considered today and we are trying to return things to a more natural state.
