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Re:Costa Rica has gone 76 days using 100% renewable electricity by chki on Friday September 09, 2016 @12:15PM (#12463579)
But the big difference is that the effects are almost completely local and not anywhere as threatening on a global scale compared to burning stuff and causing everything to heat up. This is actually a decisive point because whoever builds the dam will also lookout for the effects it causes and be more reasonable.

On top of that I think that the extinction of species is really not comparable to global warming, which will probably cause mass extinctions on a scale that has not been seen before in human history.

Re:Costa Rica has gone 76 days using 100% renewable electricity by kbenson on Friday September 09, 2016 @12:20PM (#12463627)
Actually, if mhurron is referring to what I think they are, then it can be fairly global. Think fish migration and spawning, such as with Salmon. Global Salmon population is very susceptible to being disrupted by blocking rivers. That said, I believe there are modern ways to address this problem.
Re:Costa Rica has gone 76 days using 100% renewable electricity by dragontamer on Friday September 09, 2016 @01:43PM (#12464426)
Every dam worth a damn has fish ladders.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_ladder

Poorly built dams can damage the environment. Except you know, its 2016 and we've figured out how to preserve the environment while providing clean energy now.

Re:Costa Rica has gone 76 days using 100% renewable electricity by mastax on Friday September 09, 2016 @03:16PM (#12465263)
The wikipedia article links to this: http://e360.yale.edu/feature/blocked_migration_fish_ladders_...

Not exactly a glowing recommendation.

It seems a lot like those 'nature bridges' over highways that animals never use. A nice idea if it worked, but they don't.

Re:Costa Rica has gone 76 days using 100% renewable electricity by dredmorbius on Friday September 09, 2016 @07:03PM (#12466647)
Salmon, as an example, turn out to be a major component of nutrient transfer mechanisms returning fertilisers from sea environments to littoral watershed regions.

http://www.inforain.org/reports/salmon_decline.html

Re:Costa Rica has gone 76 days using 100% renewable electricity by sliverstorm on Friday September 09, 2016 @01:45PM (#12464447)
The obvious impact is local, but rivers have sweeping ecological importance, and we dam every one of them.