When you tour a dam, the discussion will invariably turn to that dam's "worlds first," "world's only," or "world's best." It seems to be a unique ability of dam builders to always come up with a first, only, or best that makes their project unique.
The self-guided walking tour at the Pitlochry Dam and Fish Ladder, then, came as a pleasant surprise. In contrast to the other dams I've visited, the focus wasn't about construction or how much power the dam produced, but instead focused almost exclusively on the environmental impact of damming, and the need for green energy sources in the future.
This first sign aptly set the theme of the tour for visitors walking to the dam from the north side of the river.
 |
| The first sign most visitors encounter on the dam. Photo by author |
This turbine is fish-friendly. It acts like a revolving door to allow fish moving downstream to pass through the dam unimpeded.
 |
| The turbine spins on a vertical axis instead of a horizontal one. Photo by author |
A dam, by definition, blocks the flow of a river. This fish ladder allows more than 5000 salmon and other species each year to pass unimpeded to their spawning grounds upstream.
 |
| The ladder is composed of a series of tiered pools that allow the salmon to move around the dam. Photo by author |
 |
| The murky environment of a pool. Photo by author |
A downstream view of the dam from downstream shows the main structure partially hidden by the surrounding forest.
 |
The Pitlochry Dam doesn't focus on its first, only, or best. Instead, throughout the tour it discusses the importance of green energy and how to lessen the environmental impact of large industrial and post-industrial projects. With Scotland's deadline of 100% sustainability by 2025 rapidly approaching, it is important that projects like the Pitlochry Dam and Fish Ladder continue to pay careful attention to the affects they have, not just on the energy grid, but also on the environment in which they are built.
No comments:
Post a Comment