. 24/7 Space News .
WATER WORLD
Cornell researchers build American eels an 'eelevator'
by Brooks Hays
Washington (UPI) Jul 3, 2017


Dams are one of the main impediments to the recovery of American eels. The removal of old dams has proven a boon to the endangered species, but many dams remain and not all can be demolished.

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a solution to help migrating eels bypass dams on their journey upstream. They call their solution the "eelevator."

Eels are born a translucent gray and white in the warm waters of the Atlantic's Sargasso Sea. For this reason, they're often called "glass eels" during their juvenile stages. Shortly after birth, the eels are carried north by the currents of the Gulf Stream to estuaries along the Eastern Seaboard.

As they slowly migrate farther inland, they gain pigmentation, a combination of greens and browns. Their slow journey -- stretching across a lifespan of some 30 years -- means eels occupy a diverse array of habitats. They're a vital component -- both predator and prey -- of many aquatic ecosystems.

"Eels live in virtually every aquatic habitat, from mountain streams and farm ponds to city creeks, coastal estuaries and the vast ocean," Chris Bowser, an environmental scientist and eel expert at Cornell's New York State Water Resources Institute, said in a news release. "We talk about the connectedness of these water systems; eels are that connection."

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.

Bowser and his colleagues invented the device after residents of Piermont, a town along the Hudson River, approached him about helping eels move into an upstream pond blocked by a dam.

"The 'eelevator' is a great example of grassroots citizen-science where local residents team up with environmental researchers to conserve natural resources, including eels, on their way upstream," said Brian Rahm, a researcher at the Water Resources Institute.

Bowser and his colleagues hope the eelevator concept can be translated to other sites as part of the Hudson River Eel Project, an effort by volunteers and local conservationist to track and assist the movement of eels upstream in New York.

WATER WORLD
Lebanon dam planned over seismic fault line stirs fears
Bisri, Lebanon (AFP) June 29, 2017
Lebanon's government says a dam planned for a valley near Beirut is vital to tackle chronic water shortages, but the location on a seismic fault line has raised fears among residents. "How can you build a dam in an earthquake zone? We don't even have houses that are earthquake-proof," said Amer Meshmushi, a resident of Bisri Valley, 35 kilometres (20 miles) south of Beirut. He grew up he ... read more

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

WATER WORLD
Don't look down: glass bottom skywalk thrills in China

Silicon-on-Seine: world's biggest tech incubator opens in Paris

India, Portugal Shake Hands on Space Cooperation

Return to the blue

WATER WORLD
80th consecutive success for Ariane 5 with launch of Hellas Sat, Inmarsat and ISRO

ArianeGroup starts production of VINCI engine combustion chamber

Modified Proton-M carrier rocket to be first launched in 2019

N. Korea conducts rocket engine test: report

WATER WORLD
No One Under 20 Has Experienced a Day Without NASA at Mars

Laser-targeting AI Yields More Mars Science

Mars rover Opportunity on walkabout near crater rim

Mars Orbiter spots rover ascending Mount Sharp

WATER WORLD
China prepares to launch second heavy-lift carrier rocket

China to launch Long March-5 Y2 in early July

With a Strong Partner Like Russia, Nothing Would Stop China's New Space Station

China's cargo spacecraft completes second docking with space lab

WATER WORLD
HTS Capacity Lease Revenues to Reach More Than $6 Billion by 2025

Second launch doubles number of Iridium NEXT satellites in orbit to 20

OneWeb inaugurates production line Assembly, Integration, and Test of OneWeb satellites

SES Restores Capacity from AMC-9 Satellite

WATER WORLD
True romance in the air at Tokyo virtual reality show

Seawater makes ancient Roman concrete stronger

A bioplastic derived from soy protein which can absorb up to 40 times its own weight

New polymer goes for a walk when illuminated

WATER WORLD
Why Does Microorganism Prefer Meager Rations Over Rich Ones

NASA diligently tracks microbes inside the International Space Station

NASA keeps a close eye on tiny stowaways

Could a Dedicated Mission to Enceladus Detect Microbial Life There

WATER WORLD
Topsy-Turvy Motion Creates Light-Switch Effect at Uranus

NASA Completes Study of Future 'Ice Giant' Mission Concepts

The curious case of the warped Kuiper Belt

King of the Gods: Jupiter Dated to Be Oldest Planet in the Solar System









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.