As I mentioned a while ago, there a presentation at a Fisheries Meeting (AFS) about why removal of a specific dam on the Carmel River in CA might not be the best idea.

The particular dam, high in the watershed, is the last dam left in the system and blocks some habitat. So, apparently, NOAA is pushing for removal.

Fortunately, the system is data rich for flow info. IF the dam comes out, the fish will have access to blocked area. The cost will be the loss of 25 miles of mainstem habitat as the river will go dry most summers in the middle and lower reaches. You'll have 7 miles of headwaters instead of 25 miles of mainstem. You'll also release the brown trout from above the dam into the whole lower watershed as they are not there now.

He also described how the area is going to a desalinization plant that will make domestic water the most expensive in the world by a factor of two. Once that plant goes online, many of the current residents will be priced out of water.

Was in interesting presentation.