Background
Channelization of rivers via the construction of dams has been one of the most profound drivers of population declines in diadromous fishes such as river herring and the American eel. Within the Hudson River watershed there currently exist 1,968 dams, of which 481 are found in the Mohawk River (National Inventory of Dams). The objective of this study is to investigate attitudes towards dam removal projects among stakeholder groups within the Hudson-Mohawk watershed through a set of workshops that will culminate with the co-construction of systems dynamics models for focal sites. |
WHOWe will be working with stakeholders groups in three tributaries within the Hudson River (Quassaick Creek and Wynant’s Kill) and the Mohawk River (Sauquoit Creek).
A set of three educational workshops will be used to assess stakeholder’s attitudes toward dam removal decision making processes. |
WHATInterventions include community meeting presentations, field trip experiences and mediating model processes.
A systems dynamics model will be co-created with stakeholders in small groups using STELLA, a dynamic ecosystem modeling platform, to elicit the underlying behavior and functioning of receptiveness attributed to dam removal decision making. |
WHY A suite of policy scenarios will then be tested using model products developed from each workshop.
Ultimately, interventions will provide learning based outcomes that have the ability to increase consensus and trust in model findings. A summative systems model can additionally be used as a tool for managers and restoration agencies in river connectivity and dam removal project considerations. |
mohawk_final_kms.pdf |