DamNation is a 2014 documentary that chronicles the history of dam building in the United States and shows how dam removal can be a strategy for restoring rivers. The film begins with scenic forest views with voiceover of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's speech at the dedication of Hoover Dam proclaiming the dam as a triumph in engineering. The speech seems to alienate the beauty and peacefulness of the flowing river. As the speech concludes, the opening shot holds a steady shot of a dam being removed. As the story unfolds, several dams in the Pacific Northwest are introduced, the history and purpose of each, and the current state of each dam. The film does a good job on introducing the idea of dam removal to someone who knows little about dams in an accessible and relatable format.
DamNation spends much of the film explaining the social and environmental consequences caused by the damming of rivers from fish populations to the people who live near the bodies of water. The filmmakers present meaningful facts coupled with personal experiences for those who were negatively impacted by dams. For example, the amount of salmon and steelhead able to make the journey to spawn has diminished incredibly due to dams blocking the path. Even with fish ladders and elevators, salmon have a strenuous journey already, but dams make it nearly impossible. Additionally, the Elwha River Dam was built on Native American land in 1913 taking away a source of food for the nearby tribes and violating a treaty agreement. Another compelling argument is how much beauty has been lost at every dammed river. The only argument on the pro-dam side that worried me were how many jobs the hydroelectric supplied for small communities. Hydroelectricity was the main purpose for many dams, but many have outrun their usefulness and do not produce enough electricity staying open.
Overall, the film gives insight into a topic few have much knowledge about. After watching I felt more educated on dams and their history in the United States. Going forward, I hope there is more education on the impacts of dams. In Georgia, all the lakes are manmade from damming up rivers for hydroelectricity plants, but some are no longer in use. Once researching if there were any deadbeat dams in Georgia and signed a petition to remove the Tugalo Dam. DamNation is a cool film that is worth the watch for anyone interested in water, fish, and activist art.
