1B-+Dam+Construction

Dam Construction Jessie Angelo, Drew Krentsa, Michael Chiafari, Griffin Decaro, Tom Fulton

[|Dam picture]

//Deforestation caused by Dams: // Dams not only destroy forests, but they also cause people to leave where they live due to the destruction of their land. Downstream ecosystems are effected by dam construction because the dams cause silt to get trapped, stopping the valuable nutrients. The weight of the water in the dams can also lead to earthquakes in the area they are built. AIDS, tuberculosis, and measles are just some diseases that can be introduced to an environment due to the construction of dams.

http://elyunque.com/icacos.jpg

The Thalle Construction Company: [|Thalle Logo] The history of the Thalle Construction Company can be traced back to as far as post WWII expansion era. The Thalle Construction Company builds dams, highways, and tunnels. This company is responsible for constructing harmful things since 1947 and continues to build today. **What deforestation causes: ** To learn more about the Thalle Construction Company click on: http://www.thalle.com/Home.aspx
 * **It effects the fish populations and destroys the habitat for aquatic animals. **
 * **Reduces the water flow downstream disturbing the riverbeds and effects farmers who rely on seasonal floods for the nutrients. **
 * **Erosion causes dams to inefficient. **

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/18428/0 //The construction of the Gezhouba Dam in the middle of the Yangtze River blocked the migration route of this particular species. It prevents adult fish from moving up the river to reproduce. Since 2002 only two adult females have migrated up the river for reproduction. //
 * //The Chinese Paddlefish (Psephurus gladius): //**Critically endangered **

[|Chinese Paddlefish]

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/41758/0 // The construction of dams cause these animals to lose places to live and harms their habitat dramatically. //
 * //South Asian River Dolphin (Plantanista gangetica): //** Endangered **

**[|South Asian River Dolphin]**

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">//Ways YOU can help:// [|Cultural Survival Campaign] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">This information is from: http://www.rainforestconcern.org/education_resources/what_can_we_do_to_stop_deforestation
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Donating to the Cultural Survival Campaign:
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">Organize an event at your school to educate your peers the importance of the rainforest
 * <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Conserving water at home and other places

**<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Business Letter: **

Dear Thalle Construction Company, We are writing to inform you of the dangers of dam construction on the rainforest. The dams that your company is constructing are directly and adversely affecting the rainforest. The rainforest is a vital resource which needs to be preserved for many reasons. Rainforests are necessary for biodiversity, medicine, food diversity, climate, and for absorption of carbon dioxide. With the construction of dams, the rainforest is being destroyed rapidly. One way in which dams are destroying the rainforest is it damages aquatic habitats. It also decreases the fish population in the area where the dam is constructed. The rainforest is a great source of biodiversity and the construction of dams is leading to the extinction of many aquatic species. Dam construction also affects the farmers living in the area surrounding where the dam is located. Farmers rely on seasonal floods to provide nutrients to their farms in order to grow food. Building dams reduces the water flow downstream which harms farmers who depend on proper water flow. This not only affects the farmers but the people that rely on the farms to get food to feed themselves. The farmers and everyone else depends on the rainforest for food and by building dams you are destroying the food diversity on the planet. As you can see the rainforest houses extremely vital resources that affect the lives of everyone. It would be in your best interest to consider alternate ways that do not cause deforestation of the rainforest. Sincerely, Jessie Angelo, Drew Krentsa, Tom Fulton, Griffin Decaro, Mike Chiafari