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Researchers Build American Eels an 'Eelevator' (upi.com)
randomErr writes: Bad pun aside, Cornell researchers have built a solution to help migrating eels bypass dams on their journey upstream. They call their solution the "eelevator." "Dams are one of the main impediments to the recovery of American eels," reports UPI. "The removal of old dams has proven a boon to the endangered species, but many dams remain and not all can be demolished. [...] Eel ladders have been installed along a number of dams, but the newest device is liftable and works with the assistance of human volunteers. Eels looking to move upstream can climb a ramp of netting, kept wet by hoses, into a holding tank of circulating water. Twice a week, volunteers can check to see if eels have arrived. The tank can be raised, like an elevator, and the water deposited into the river above the dam." This is similar to a concept implemented by the Isle of Wight's Island Roads, Environment Agency, Arc Consulting, and Artecology back in May.
It's natural for species to go extinct and new ones to develop. Why should we postpone the inevitable? Also, humans are part of nature as well, so even if we contribute to the eels being endangered, it's still natural. Let's do something productive instead of building eelevators, and let species go extinct as part of nature running its course.
I bet that was the only reason they did it :)
Interesting and important project but such elevators have been built in dams all over the world, perhaps not for eels specifically. I have personally seen one in Brazil and know of others. Some species of fish can't or won't use ladders. Biologists also get to count and measure the species going up the elevator. I guess that accurate measurement of migration of several species is a very difficult process. I have no idea how effective these elevators are.
Not as good as the salmon cannon.
Isn't this just trapping eels and manually moving them to the top of the dam?
Not that that is a bad thing, just asking. Could not a water wheel or something be used to Rube Goldberg a more automatic solution?
Twice a week, volunteers can check to see if eels have arrived.
Meanwhile there are companies trying to create self driving cars on city streets. These guys would not think of creating an eel sensor using 5$ chips and automating it.
Why lift the entire holding tank? One can design something similar to the Dyson bladeless fan or design a series of holding tanks, air pumps etc and let the eels swim upstream,.
Well I can understand pure bio students/profs coming up with this idea. Showing to the engg department they might have helped design something simpler and more cost effective.
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
I bet the eels are eelated. Hey!, you started it.
Also, humans are part of nature as well, ...
That's exactly right! When when shit on nature, we are shitting on ourselves. And when we damage a part of the ecosystem the effects ripple out.
Yes, there is a mass extinction about to happen and if humans survive it, future historians will look back and see that their ignorant short sighted ancestors caused it.
Seems to me that the lift should be automatic. Since there is a dam using water power seems like the thing to do. It could also use a water clock to make the eelevator go up and down twice a day or so.
At least elevators for eels come cheap, because they bring their own electricity.
When the hovercraft fills with eels, it would automatically lift off and transport the next batch.
Containing some uplifting news.
Summation 2
I have no idea what that means. This is like some hipster shit from Ars Technica.
What does that mean??
:
Here in Ohio we try to STOP eels. Many in the Erie Lake are foreign eels deposited by European ships in the lakes. They are a threat to young trout and have diminished the fish population significantly.
So before you believe that every good dead doesn't go unpunished...
Some folks refer to my dick as "The American Eel" . Good stuff!
This is a bad solution. It would be much better to build a long ramp that the eels can go up rather than depending on human intervention. The eels are quite willing to travel the extra distance.
Have gnu, will travel.
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks!
-- Cheers!
It can take a lot of time to develop new species.
I think investment in developing technologies like eelevators should be greatly increased. Dams are neccessary for slower flowing water. Slower moving water means more fresh water can be retained on land, and used for irrigation. I'd like to see flow on the Mississippi greatly reduced, so water can be diverted to cropland on the Great Plains.
And will they appreciate having them provided to them in a holding tank unattended for two weeks?
All the credit can't go to the aforementioned researches. There was a certain someone who lived in a pineapple under the sea who had a patently similar idea. Eels and Escalators!
It should be automatic (how long will humans pay attention?), and powered by the dam using lo-tech wheel & cogs that won't need maintenance for the life of the dam.