Dams

We recently released a detailed report on the changing flow patterns we’ve uncovered in the Ottawa River watershed. From earlier spring freshets to low summer water levels, these changes are indicative of how climate change will influence watershed health in the coming years.

We have just released a detailed report on surprising and concerning findings related to mercury levels in fish within the Ottawa River watershed. While most species have mercury levels within safe limits, this emerging trend warrants closer monitoring and further study.

The Carillon Dam presents the first and largest obstacle to the migration of the American eel into the Ottawa River watershed. Other dams have created eel ladders to enable this vulnerable fish species to migrate upstream, and it is time for Carillon to do the same.

Constructing an eel ladder on the Carillon dam could provide our endangered and fragmented American eel population with the fighting chance it deserves.

In the fall of 2020 it was announced that the Carillon Dam, the most significant barrier to American eel migration into the Ottawa River watershed, would be undergoing major renovations. We’ve assembled a series of questions and answers to bring you up to speed on the relationship between the dam and this endangered fish species in our watershed.