In 1940, a hydroelectric dam was constructed in northern Akita Prefecture, Japan. The project, it was known at the time, would destroy the only native habitat of the black kokanee salmon by making the waters too acidic for the fish to survive. Still, developers went ahead with their plans.
A concession was made to protect the species: 100,000 eggs were transported to nearby Lake Saiko (pictured above). Unfortunately, the transplanted eggs did not hatch and the species quickly became extinct. At least, that's what was thought.
Now, a new discovery suggests that a small population of kokanee salmon may have survived. 70 years later, a small population of the extremely rare fish was discovered in Saiko Lake.
The population had grown large enough as to be sustainable. Sustainable, that is, as long as the environment in and around the lake can be maintained. Lake Saiko, Nakabo explained, is a popular destination for tourists because of the views of Mount Fuji from its banks. A sudden influx of fisherman, especially, could threaten the survival of the fragile species.
1 comments:
How does a hydroelectric dam create acidic water?
When the dam is constructed, all water simply passes through generators and continues.
The salmon, however, are unable to make their natural journey to the source of their origin, by leaping over dams. Since they have an instinct to mate where mom and dad got their start, yet are unable to return to that source, the species dwindles.
But acid in the water?
Never heard of that and it would be wonderful if true.
Why?
Because alkaline could be added to the water in mass quantities to restore the Ph balance, as required by salmon apparently.
People are now beginning to place specie survival on a scale, like the scale of justice lady.
On one side of the scale is a snail darter or a salmon surviving.
On the other side of the scale, is jobs, and people survival.
A scale only has value when it shows balance. If one item on one side has greater weight than the other side, things get out of balance.
Indeed, I recall reading Eugene Peterson writing of the Greek word for such scales: AXIOS.
Axios means "worthy" and that condition occurs on scales of two plates in suspension, when the plates are equalized. One side is "worthy" to the other side.
In the case of salmon versus the dams, it is no longer in axios anywhere. The salmon are too light to fly a dam.
But the source of dam water, and spawning grounds remains. Perhaps a new route for salmon travel could be constructed from the upper waters of spawning, and channeled around any dam, for salmon to have a way to reach their eternity and destiny, and recycle themselves as well.
Anyway, nice picture, and interesting post. You combine intelligence with good word smithing ability, and I remain at a loss why this is not grabbed by a media source and given wider audiences to view.
Keep writing.
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