Mexico’s Sheinbaum Administration Finally Ready to Pursue Shale Gas and Oil via Hydraulic Fracturing

      For well over a decade, Mexico has resisted tapping its shale gas and oil resources. The Eagle Ford trend in South Texas likely extends into Mexico as the Burgos Basin extension of the Western Gulf Coast Basin and can be developed. Recently, Mexican President Gloria Sheinbaum has expressed a desire to develop those resources. One reason to do it is to wean Mexico off of U.S. natural gas, which powers Mexican power plants and industry. Former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) was adamantly against allowing Mexico to engage in hydraulic fracturing for energy production. Mexico now imports far more than half of its natural gas, pipelining it in from the U.S. The supply is close and abundant, so the costs to purchase American natural gas are low.

     No concrete plans have been made public yet, and it will take time for them to be formulated and the process begun. Mexico’s state energy company PEMEX is notoriously inefficient and not likely to compete with the U.S. on well and infrastructure costs. Mexico would be wise to allow American companies in to accelerate development, but that is not seen as likely. 

     According to Morning Overview's Everett Sloan, the next steps may be as follows:

     The Burgos Basin was opened for development by private companies in 2017 but by 2019 AMLO decided against allowing hydraulic fracturing in the country. The EIA noted in 2017 that there are 3500 natural gas wells in the Burgos Basin producing from non-shale reservoirs. Those reservoirs typically have low permeability and high decline rates. Burgos Basin gas production was at a peak in 2012 at 1.2 BCF/day but by 2016 it had dropped to 0.87 BCF/day.

     Realistically, it will take years, probably several years, maybe a decade, before Mexican shale production makes an impact and reduces imports from the U.S. Demand may grow as well. This means that the U.S. gas export sales are quite safe for now and in the near-term.

     PEMEX estimates that Mexico holds more oil & gas reserves in unconventional resources like shale than in conventional resources. Proven conventional gas reserves stand at about 83 TCF, while non-conventional resources are estimated at more than 140 TCF. Mexico consumes roughly 9 BCF of natural gas per day, but produces just 2.3 BCF domestically. About 75% to 80% comes from the U.S., mainly from Texas.

     According to OilPrice.com’s Julianne Geiger:

“Sheinbaum said a scientific committee will be formed to evaluate available technologies, including the use of less harmful chemicals and recycled water. The group is expected to deliver recommendations within two months.”

“Pemex expects to increase domestic production to just over 4 billion cubic feet per day by 2030, with a longer-term target of 8.6 billion cubic feet over the next decade. That outlook includes potential contributions from non-conventional sources.”

     Mexico continues to build new combined-cycle natural gas plants, with seven currently under construction or ready to come online and five more planned.

     As the graph below shows, Mexico’s prices for pipelined U.S. gas have mostly remained under $3 per MCF and sometimes closer to $2. It has been a good deal for Mexico and the U.S. and will likely remain so for years to come.

     The Burgos Basin is thought to contain the largest unconventional reserves in the country. The Burgos Basin butts right up against EOG’s Dorado Play in Webb County, Texas, announced in 2020, which produces from the Eagle Ford Shale and the Austin Chalk.

 

References:

 

Sheinbaum backs Mexico energy shift to cut reliance on US natural gas. Everett Sloane. Morning Overview. April 10, 2026. Sheinbaum backs Mexico energy shift to cut reliance on US natural gas

Mexico’s shale-rich Burgos Basin opens to private investment for the first time. Energy Information Administration. August 22, 2017. Mexico’s shale-rich Burgos Basin opens to private investment for the first time - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Mexico’s Sheinbaum Weighs Fracking Return to Cut U.S. Gas Dependence. Julianne Geiger. OilPrice.com. April 9, 2026. Mexico’s Sheinbaum Weighs Fracking Return to Cut U.S. Gas Dependence | OilPrice.com

End of Fracking Freeze? Mexico Eyes 141 Tcf in Unconventional Resources to Slash U.S. Imports. Christopher Lenton. Natural Gas Intelligence. April 9, 2026. End of Fracking Freeze? Mexico Eyes 141 Tcf in Unconventional Resources to Slash U.S. Imports

Mexico Basins Overview. 12 Mexico Gas Summit. 2026. Mexico Shale Summit Burgos Sabinas Picachos Burros Basin

Ireland is Struggling with Fuel Affordability in Light of Strait of Hormuz Disruptions and Taxation

    

      While the U.S. is fairly well insulated from suffering huge cost increases resulting from the disruption of oil, refined fuel, fertilizer, and other commerce due to the situation with the Strait of Hormuz, countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe have been strongly affected. Fuel cost increases in Europe are concerning. In Ireland, fuel costs have skyrocketed. Fuel oil has increased by 67.5 %. Fuel oil is used by about 25% of homes in the country for heat. If this had happened in mid-winter, the situation could have been far worse.  

“A 1,000-litre oil tank now costs €1,740 to fill, almost double the €935 price in early February and the highest on record.”

     That is quite expensive. It is the highest cost on record for fuel oil in the country. 

     Inflation is also rising in the country, as is the price of diesel (up 18.1%) and gasoline, or petrol (up 7.7%).

     One thing people are complaining about is the high government taxes on fuel, which means the government is profiting from the fuel price increases.

     On April 8, a fuel price protest began. Protestors are calling for the carbon tax on green diesel to be removed and the price of fuel to be capped.

John Dallon, a protest leader in Dublin, told the outlet: “Government is going to have to listen because this protest is escalating. The people of Ireland, of the island of Ireland, have had enough, and what I’m hearing all around here is we need to bring the government down or at least bring them to their senses, and we need to take some of that power back off of government.”

     Apparently, protests have caused Ireland’s only oil refinery to close due to trucks blocking roads in support of the protest. Gas pumps are running dry, and transportation in the country has been hampered. Over 500 of the country’s 1500 gas stations have run out of gas.

“Government officials, who had already introduced measures to ease the burden of price rises, have been baffled over the rationale behind the protests because the global price spike is due to the war in the Middle East that has restricted oil exports.”

“Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said on Friday that the country was on the brink of turning tankers away at ports during a global shortage and was in jeopardy of losing its oil supply.”

"It is unconscionable, it's illogical, it is difficult to comprehend," Martin told national broadcaster RTE.

     Irish police are arresting protestors and removing the roadblocks, but it sounds like the government needs to do something to relieve the tension. Talks are ongoing. According to AP:

“Two weeks ago, the government approved a range of measures to cut fuel prices, including a temporary reduction in excise taxes on motor fuels, expansion of a rebate for truckers and bus operators that use diesel fuel, and the extension of a program that helps low-income people with their heating costs.”

“But those reductions were quickly overtaken as international prices continued to rise.”

     RTE reports that the Irish government has extended its assistance:

“The big move by Government is the further 10c cut in excise on both petrol and diesel to the end of July.”

“There will also be a new reduction of 2.4c on green diesel.”

“The carbon tax increases have been delayed until the Budget in October.”

“The size of the package announced is around €505 million - and it comes on top of €250 million worth of measures announced almost three weeks ago.”

     Further measures have been announced for truckers and farmers, some backdated to March 1.

     Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns noted the effects of inflation in the country:

"These protests are a manifestation of how desperate many people feel as costs continue to soar - not just for fuel, but for everything in this country," she said.

"People are increasingly struggling to pay for the basics - food, energy and housing - and the Government is just not listening to them. They are out of touch and out of ideas.”

     While some in the country have called for increased electrification and an acceleration of the transition to renewable energy, that is likely not going to be a cheaper alternative. However, it could insulate the country a bit from future geopolitical fossil fuel price shocks.

 

 

References:

 

'People just can't afford it' – Heating oil at its highest price ever. Christian McCashin. Extra.ie. April 10, 2026. 'People just can't afford it' – Heating oil at its highest price ever

Irish protesters threaten to "close the country down" as roads blockaded. Kate Plummer. Newsweek. April 10, 2026. Irish protesters threaten to "close the country down" as roads blockaded

Fuel protests in Ireland continue as pumps run dry, prices rise amid war in Middle East: Police arrested protesters on Saturday calling for Ireland's only oil refinery to reopen. AP. April 12, 2026. Fuel protests in Ireland continue as pumps run dry, prices rise amid war in Middle East | CBC News

New fuel supports announced after days of protests. Maggie Doyle  Mícheál Lehane. RTE. Updated April 13, 2026. New fuel supports announced after days of protests

 

EIA Provides Update on U.S. Coal Plant Retirement Delays: They Will Likely Continue for a Few Years

 

      The EIA first notes that just 2.6 GW of coal capacity was retired in 2026, the least since 2010. I should point out that most of the plants scheduled to retire are likely operating at reduced capacity, or utilization, for various reasons, often related to the plan to retire them. They are often older, less efficient plants. For 2026, the original plan was to retire 8.5 GW of capacity, of which 4.8 GW capacity was delayed, and 1.1 GW (two plants) was cancelled. An additional 1.2 GW scheduled to retire in 2027 has been cancelled as well.

     The biggest coal plant retirement in 2026 was the 1.8 GW Intermountain Power Project in Utah, which has been replaced by a 1.017 GW combined cycle natural gas plant, which became operational in late 2025.

     Below is a list of the five plants, representing the 4.8 GW of planned retirement that were delayed by emergency orders from the U.S. Dept of Energy. All plants subject to delays are shown on the map below.

     Most of those plants are still scheduled to retire in 2026, but the DOE could issue emergency orders for further delays as it did with the J.H. Campbell plant in Michigan. 2.2 GW of planned retirements were delayed, not by the DOE, but by the operators in Wisconsin, Colorado, and Maryland, with one expected to convert to natural gas by 2028.

     Current plans call for retiring 6.4 GW of coal capacity (4% of the U.S. coal-fired fleet) in 2026, but those plans could change, especially if more emergency orders are issued.

  

References:

 

U.S. coal-fired generating capacity retired in 2025 was the least in 15 years. Energy Information Administration. April 13, 2026. U.S. coal-fired generating capacity retired in 2025 was the least in 15 years - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

 

 

Studies Show Some Correlation Between Cancer Incidence and Living Near Nuclear Power Plants; However, No Causation Has Been Established

  

     I will first state that I have always been skeptical of these sorts of epidemiological studies that seek to establish correlations between health outcomes and nearness to potential sources of contamination. Several studies like these that studied those who live near oil & gas sites had very slight, probably statistically insignificant, poor health outcomes, failed to show any real connection or causation, although the headlines often seek to imply that causation. I believe the same is true of these studies. For fossil fuel contamination exposure, there is often a real possible exposure pathway. In the case of oil & gas sites, that exposure pathway is mainly increased burning of diesel fuel at the sites where emissions are temporarily accelerated during certain operations. There are often no continuous high emissions found. In the case of nuclear power plants, if such a study is to be considered valid, there needs to be some kind of quantification of local radiation elevated above normal in the areas evaluated. Without such data, these studies are even less valid. I would question the headline by The Cool Down: Study: Living near nuclear power plants increases risk of certain cancers as likely not accurate. While there may be a correlation, there is no proof that it is specifically living near those plants that increases the risk of certain cancers, only that there are increases in those cancers among those who do. Of course, correlation is not causation, but the headline clearly implies that somehow the plants are the cause.

     I will look briefly at three studies here: one for people living near nuclear power plants in Massachusetts, another from the entire U.S. by the same authors, and one from South Korea. 

     The abstract to the first one included the following statement, which does not include a caveat that the connection may not involve causation.

“Residential proximity to nuclear plants in Massachusetts is associated with elevated cancer risks, particularly among older adults, underscoring the need for continued epidemiologic monitoring amid renewed interest in nuclear energy.”

     The abstract of the national study did, however, include that important caveat:

“While our findings cannot establish causality, they highlight the need for further research into potential exposure pathways, latency effects, and cancer-specific risks, emphasizing the importance of addressing these potentially substantial but overlooked risks to public health.”

     The Korean study showed some increase in certain types of cancer incidence, but the types varied by facility, and there was no widespread correlation. The statement below from the paper’s conclusions highlights the uncertainty and the lack of exposure characterization.

“While the role of ionizing radiation remains uncertain, our findings highlight geographic patterns that warrant cautious interpretation and may inform future studies incorporating more detailed exposure characterization and individual-level data on residential history, occupation, and health behaviors.”

  These sorts of studies would be more convincing if there were established exposure pathways enabled by verified increases in ionizing radiation above backgrounds, but this is not the case. These are merely attempts to show correlation.

     The article in The Cool Down notes the following about the Massachusetts study:

“The researchers found that approximately 3.3% (around 20,600) of the cancer cases considered in the study "were attributable to living near [a nuclear power plant], with risk declining sharply beyond roughly 30 kilometers from a facility," according to a press release from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.”

     The obvious question would be: “How are these cancer cases "attributable” to living in proximity to these plants?” That question is not answered, and without it being answered, there can be no meaning to such “attributions.”

     The study’s authors, however, did have some useful suggestions that could both move closer to actual causation (which is not at all certain) and decrease the likelihood of exposures:

"Strengthening emission controls, improving environmental monitoring, and prioritizing research and surveillance within approximately 25-30 km of nuclear plants will be essential for advancing evidence-based protection of nearby communities."

References:

 

Study: Living near nuclear power plants increases risk of certain cancers. Misty Layne. The Cool Down. April 9, 2026. Study: Living near nuclear power plants increases risk of certain cancers

Residential proximity to nuclear power plants and cancer incidence in Massachusetts, USA (2000–2018). Yazan Alwadi, John S. Evans, Joel Schwartz, Carolina L. Zilli Vieira, David C. Christiani, Brent A. Coull & Petros Koutrakis. Environmental Health. Volume 24, article number 92, (December 18, 2025). Residential proximity to nuclear power plants and cancer incidence in Massachusetts, USA (2000–2018) | Environmental Health | Springer Nature Link

National analysis of cancer mortality and proximity to nuclear power plants in the United States. Yazan Alwadi, Barrak Alahmad, Carolina L. Zilli Vieira, Philip J. Landrigan, David C. Christiani, Eric Garshick, Marco Kaltofen, Brent Coull, Joel Schwartz, John S. Evans & Petros Koutrakis. Nature Communications. Volume 17, article number 1560, (February 2026). National analysis of cancer mortality and proximity to nuclear power plants in the United States | Nature Communications | Springer Nature Link

Cancer incidence near nuclear facilities in Korea (2005–2022): implications of regional socioeconomic status and industrial context. Ga Bin Lee, Kyungsik Kim, Eun-Shil Cha, Soojin Park, Dalnim Lee, Minsu Cho, Sue K. Park & Songwon Seo. BMC Public Health. Volume 26, article number 1012, (February 19, 2026). Cancer incidence near nuclear facilities in Korea (2005–2022): implications of regional socioeconomic status and industrial context | BMC Public Health | Springer Nature Link

New Paper Assesses Groundwater Quantity and Water Table Levels in the U.S.

     I recently posted about a series of studies by researchers at UC Santa Barbara regarding water table levels around the world, the problem of groundwater depletion, and possible solutions. Another recent study maps water table levels in the U.S. In this study, researchers at Princeton University and the University of Arizona took data from about 800,000 wells and applied a machine-learning model to estimate the depth of the water table nationwide. They estimated aquifer freshwater levels down to 1300 feet, much deeper than most groundwater wells.

     One of the problem areas in the U.S. where groundwater is depleting fastest is the Central Valley area, which is our country’s agricultural powerhouse. It is noted that in some areas, like the desert Southwest, the groundwater is considered “fossil water,” and if depleted, it will take years to be recharged without severe interventions. There, when groundwater depletes, it often dries up connections to surface water, such as wetlands and small tributaries.

     According to an article in the LA Times:

“The total quantity of water underground is still immense. The scientists found nationwide there is roughly 250 billion acre-feet, or 13 times the volume of the Great Lakes.”

“Data compiled by lead author Yueling Ma show the Colorado River watershed has about as much groundwater as the volume of the Great Lakes, while California has about 70% of that.”

     The map below shows that the uncertainty level, as exemplified by the inter-quartile range (IQR), is generally lower in the eastern U.S. and higher in the western U.S. 

     The database for California showed 6000 water wells that have dried up since 2013. However, only 13 ran dry in 2025, so the rate has likely slowed.

     The new study utilized a machine learning approach. It emphasizes the need for higher local spatial resolution in order to get a better estimate of groundwater quantities. Therefore, the study utilized a high-resolution (approximately 30 m) approach to calculate groundwater storage. Other studies often utilize a much lower 1 sq. km resolution. 

     One known finding confirmed by the study is that groundwater has large spatial variability, which poses challenges for management. They show that wow resolution estimates systematically underestimate accessible groundwater. This is why higher spatial resolution is important to get accurate estimates. The first graphic below shows the mismatch between the spatial scale resolutions of common remote sensing methods and modeling. The second graphic below shows the loss of detail when the spatial resolution is too low.

     According to the paper:

“Groundwater systems are not a uniform reservoir and have significant spatial variability across multiple scales. Water table depth is often portrayed as a subdued replica of topography, however, groundwater recharging at higher elevations can travel great distances laterally underground to topographic lows, also known as groundwater convergence. Groundwater can maintain shallow water table depth in areas of local convergence during dry conditions, the same way that baseflow supports streamflow. These groundwater-land surface connections are of great importance to both watershed dynamics and ecosystem function often helping to sustain vegetation through drought.”

     The authors note that machine learning sidesteps computational barriers to bridge scales.

“We combine our water table depth product (Fig. 2) with spatially variable estimates of porosity from previous literature to calculate total groundwater storage (see SI S1.3 and Table S1). We estimate a total groundwater storage of 306,500 km3, with an uncertainty range of 291, 850 km3 to 316, 720 km3. This estimate includes all groundwater above a depth of 392 m (this depth is the deepest depth for which we have reliable porosity data, and roughly the limit of active circulation in the hydrologic cycle.”

     The authors conclude that their higher-resolution estimates can help with local -scale groundwater management strategies:

“Despite the groundwater challenges we currently face and the anticipation of future challenges, large-scale estimates of the quantity of groundwater can be connected to the local-scale water table depth to provide additional information critical in water management. The accessibility of groundwater under agricultural regions demonstrates the uncertainty in the national water supply used to sustain food production.”

 

    

References:

 

How much water do we have? Scientists map the water beneath our feet. Ian James. Boiling Point Newsletter. Los Angeles Times. April 9, 2026. How much water lies underground? Scientists finally have an answer - Los Angeles Times

High resolution US water table depth estimates reveal quantity of accessible groundwater. Yueling Ma, Laura E. Condon, Julian Koch, Andrew Bennett, Amy Defnet, Danielle Tijerina-Kreuzer, Peter Melchior & Reed M. Maxwell. Communications Earth & Environment volume 7, Article number: 45 (January 2026). High resolution US water table depth estimates reveal quantity of accessible groundwater | Communications Earth & Environment

Aquifer Recoveries Show That Groundwater Depletion is Not Inevitable: New Study

  

      Groundwater supplies drinking water to about half of the world’s population and about 40% of the world’s irrigation water. Roughly a third of the world’s groundwater aquifers are being depleted faster than they are being recharged. Declining water tables exacerbate problems from drought, cause significant land subsidence, and contribute to coastal infiltration of saltwater.

     UC Santa Barbara professor Scott Jasechko details 67 cases of aquifer recovery in a study published in the journal Science. He found that most successes involved multiple intervention categories, and over 80% involved sourcing an alternative water supply. The paper gives insights to address declining water tables.

"The cases in this review are a reminder that groundwater depletion is not inevitable," said Jasechko, a professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. "They highlight how humans have solved this problem in different places around the globe."

     In a January 2024 paper in Nature, Jasechko and colleagues formed the largest global database of water table levels in aquifers. It includes 1700 aquifers around the world. Below, the graphic from the paper shows aquifers and the status of their water tables. 

     The paper sought to understand where groundwater levels were falling and rising and the reasons for water level recoveries. The three-year study utilized 300 million water level measurements from 1.5 million wells over the past 100 years, and most of the time was spent cleaning and sorting the data. According to Phys.org:

“The work revealed that groundwater is dropping in 71% of the aquifers. And this depletion is accelerating in many places: the rates of groundwater decline in the 1980s and '90s sped up from 2000 to the present, highlighting how a bad problem became even worse. The accelerating declines are occurring in nearly three times as many places as they would expect by chance.”

     As one would expect, groundwater is depleting at higher rates in arid areas.

“Groundwater declines of the 1980s and '90s reversed in 16% of the aquifer systems the authors had historical data for. However, these cases are only half as common as would be expected by chance.”

“This study shows that humans can turn things around with deliberate, concentrated efforts," Jasechko said.

     In a January 2024 article in The Conversation, the authors explained the study’s dual findings and put emphasis on further research into aquifer recovery case studies:

“Our study has two main findings. First, we show that rapid groundwater depletion is widespread around the world and that rates of decline have accelerated in recent decades, with levels falling by 20 inches or more yearly in some locations. Second, however, our research also reveals many cases where deliberate actions halted groundwater depletion. These results show that societies are not inevitably doomed to drain their groundwater supplies, and that with timely interventions, this important resource can recover.”

     They also pointed out that in heavily farmed arid areas, groundwater depletion was accelerated and presented serious concerns about future supply:

“In many locations, especially arid zones that are heavily farmed and irrigated, groundwater levels are falling by more than 20 inches (0.5 meters) per year. Examples include Afghanistan, Chile, China, Peninsular India, Iran, Mexico, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Spain and the U.S. Southwest.”

     In the new study, two-thirds of the case studies of aquifer recovery included more than one replenishment strategy, and 81% included an alternative water source. 

     Some strategies are shown in the graphic below. The second graphic goes into more detail about these kinds of strategies.

     Sometimes, finding alternative water sources just moves the depletion problem to another nearby area, so that needs to be considered.

     Below, Jasechko gives a summary of his findings in ten key themes and insights into groundwater management:

     One example given in the Phys.org article is Beijing, China, where during the period of 1950-2000, groundwater levels dropped by a stunning 20 meters in some places. In 2003, the government began to construct canals and pumping stations. By 2015, it was delivering water to the city and surrounding areas from wetter regions farther to the south. The city also began using more reclaimed water, much of it allocated to environmental uses such as watering trees and grasslands as well as replenishing lakes and rivers. They also banned pumping the aquifers for industrial uses. This is an example of a multipronged approach that was largely successful. Shallow and deep aquifers have recovered, and land subsidence rates have dropped.

     Jasechko and Phys.org point out:

"An important question is: What scope and scale of intervention is required for depleted aquifers to start recovering?" he said. These are important questions for communities and resource managers who would like to improve the situation, but just don't have a sense as to what magnitude of intervention is required.

"This study can help create a menu of options for managers and stakeholders to consider as they develop locally relevant strategies to try to make things better," he said. These examples and analysis, he believes, can provide the activation energy to begin addressing this problem more widely.

"Groundwater depletion is widespread globally. These cases highlight that there are ways to turn things around," Jasechko said. "Globally, there are many more bad news cases than good news cases. Yet, I am somewhat encouraged by the clever ways that certain managers and stakeholders have addressed the problem of groundwater depletion in specific places, because they show that the menu of strategies is longer than I originally anticipated."

 

 

 

References:

 

Why some regions are winning the fight against groundwater depletion. Harrison Tasoff. Phys.org. March 20, 2026. Why some regions are winning the fight against groundwater depletion

Global cases of groundwater recovery after interventions. Scott Jasechko. Science. 19 Mar 2026. Vol 391, Issue 6791. pp. 1218-1228. Global cases of groundwater recovery after interventions | Science

Global groundwater depletion is accelerating but is not inevitable, say researchers. University of California - Santa Barbara. Phys.org. January 24, 2024. Global groundwater depletion is accelerating but is not inevitable, say researchers

Humans are depleting groundwater worldwide, but there are ways to replenish it. Scott Jasechko, Debra Perrone, and Richard Taylor. The Conversation. January 24, 2024. Humans are depleting groundwater worldwide, but there are ways to replenish it

The Positive Environmental and Safety Impacts of Dam Removal: Many Old Low Head Dams Remain to Be Removed

  

     The positive impacts of dam removal are well documented, as are the negative impacts of dam construction. While many dams do provide positive benefits such as flood control and electric power, there are negative effects such as disruption to fish spawning, especially for species like salmon.

     The group Rewilding Europe has begun removing dams on the continent and noting immediate positive impacts. The goal to remove unnecessary river blockages began in 2024 with the removal of five small dams on the Giovenco River in Italy. Since then, the group has restored about 70 miles of rivers to be free of flow restrictions. In Sweden, many dams were constructed long ago to float timber, and those dams no longer serve that function.

     According to an article in The Cool Down:

“Free-flowing waters are cooler, creating optimal conditions for native species to thrive. That helps combat the effects of climate change by encouraging native species to remain in their home habitats rather than migrate to regions where they could become invasive.”

"Removing dams, which really choke rivers, is critical," said one team leader with Rewilding Apennines. "Demolishing these barriers allows rivers to breathe again and better support nature and people. In the face of climate change, we must treat free-flowing freshwater as a precious resource to be cherished."

     The dam removals in Europe were accompanied by releases of native fish.

     In Washington and Oregon, dam removal projects encountered known dams and, unexpectedly, many undocumented dams. Some were found to be buried by vegetation and/or sediment.

     According to an article in Planet Sage:

“Scientists expected changes to unfold over months or years. Instead, rivers began reshaping themselves within hours. Channels widened, sediment shifted, and water pathways reformed as if the rivers remembered their original courses. The speed of this transformation surprised even experienced researchers.”

     One effect of dams is that they hold back sediment, which often accumulates at the dam where it is trapped. That sediment formerly flowed with the river, in some cases to coastal areas where it was deposited and helped to combat the effects of coastal erosion. While sediment flow was restored, there was also a temporary increase in water cloudiness. The response of fish moving into new areas also occurred faster than predicted. Other results included both increased riverbank erosion and increased sedimentation along the banks.  

“Removing old dams often caused water in certain areas to deepen as flow accelerated. Areas that previously resembled shallow ponds transformed into swiftly moving channels again. This deepening helped restore faster-flowing environments that many species depend on.”

“The shift also altered the distribution of nutrients and oxygen within the river. Scientists observed how these deeper channels played a crucial role in reestablishing natural river dynamics.”

     Vegetation along riverbanks also changed, reflecting changing water depths. New pools, riffles, and gravel bars were created, which also created new habitats with associated increases in biodiversity. This also happened very quickly.

“The speed and magnitude of the changes forced scientists to reconsider their assumptions about river recovery. Earlier models assumed slow, gradual adaptation, but the real-world changes were far more dramatic and immediate.”

“This realization may influence future restoration planning. Understanding that rivers can react so quickly helps improve forecasts and encourages more accurate, flexible management strategies.”

     In Oregon, hydroelectric dam operators and biodiversity advocates have long been at odds over water levels. According to The Cool Down:

“U.S. District Judge Michael Simon recently ruled that Oregon hydroelectric dams keep their current reservoir levels and increase the spill at eight dams to allow salmon to pass over dams rather than through their turbines, which puts the animals at risk.”

Industry groups argued that more spill dissolves more nitrogen in the water, which can be harmful to fish downstream.

"The order increases the risk of harm to infrastructure, listed species, and public safety while failing to demonstrate that there will be benefits to listed salmon and steelhead," said the Inland Ports and Navigation Group.

     They also argued that the injunction negatively affects river transportation, which pollutes less than trucking.

     As noted, dams can have positive effects as well, such as flood control and conserving water for irrigation. These effects, however, are countered by the negative impacts on ecosystems.

     Sediment flow of the Leitzaran River affected by the Olloki Dam in the Basque region of Spain was studied recently by a group of fluvial geomorphology geographers. According to another article in The Cool Down:

“The research group monitored 1,800 stones in the Leitzaran River between 2016 and 2022, embedding a code inside the stone samples. They distributed them at three points in the river: upstream, downstream, and at a control site. They then scanned the river from bank to bank with a detector.”

"When the device detects a code, it informs us which stone it is and gives us the GPS coordinates," Ibisate explained.

“The process enables researchers to understand the function of rivers and their sediment flow, providing a better prediction of the demolition of dams. The researchers discovered that some stones in the river traveled over 5 miles.”

"We didn't think the sediments would move so much," Ibisate stated, "and the other experts in the field were also surprised."

     The scale of outdated low-head dams in the U.S. is huge. I know here in Ohio that the Ohio EPA has a low-head dam removal program, and that is likely the case all over the country.

“There are roughly 500,000 dams in the United States, and 85% are over 50 years old and no longer serve a purpose. However, around 900 dams were removed by 2015, and an additional 50 to 60 per year thereafter.”

     Progress is being made, and dams that cause the most damage should be high graded for removal. At the current rate of dam removal, it would take over 7500 years to remove all of the dams that are no longer necessary.

 

Dam Removal Can Sometimes Improve Safety

     There is a place here close to where I live, along the Hocking River, where there used to be a historic mill, where the water flow was altered for the mill, which creates effects similar to a low-head dam. A handful of kayakers drowned while going over the mill site as they became trapped by undercurrents. One fatality happened just a few years ago. Low-head dams are known to be hazardous because they create a recirculating current downstream. This current can trap people and debris, leading to accidents and fatalities. That is what happened at the mill site and also what happened at a low-head dam along the Little River in Tennessee. The site is also an old mill site, and is known as Peery’s Mill Dam, with four drownings over the past two decades. Others trapped were able to be rescued.

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams explained that many low-head dams have "outlived their initial purpose" and their original owners, and noted that nearly 800 fatalities have been linked with the obsolete structures.”

"For this reason, low-head dams have also been called 'drowning machines,'" the Army Corps acknowledged.”

“Moreover, the barriers impede the local ecosystem from thriving. The Army Corps also stated that dam removal was necessary to restore the river and protect endangered aquatic wildlife.”

“Outdated dams withhold nutrients from native wildlife and prevent fish from migrating. Removal projects across the country have yielded promising results, with animal populations rebounding.”

 

References:

 

Officials celebrate incredible recovery of crucial waterways: 'Those days are long gone'. Kate Saxton. The Cool Down. December 7, 2025. Officials celebrate incredible recovery of crucial waterways: 'Those days are long gone'

Nobody Knew These Dams Existed. Removing Them Changed Entire Rivers Overnight. Barrie Davenport. Planet Sage. December 3, 2025. Nobody Knew These Dams Existed. Removing Them Changed Entire Rivers Overnight

Tennessee residents celebrate state's plans to remove river dam: '[They are] drowning machines'. Daysia Tolentino. Newsbreak. Tennessee residents celebrate state's plans to remove river dam: '[They are] drowning machines' - NewsBreak

Officials spark backlash with concerning pla

ns for US dams: 'Increases the risk of harm'. Simon Sage. The Cool Down. March 10, 2026. Officials spark backlash with concerning plans for US dams: 'Increases the risk of harm'

Scientists point to unexpected side effects of knocking down river dams. Nicole Westhoff. The Cool Down. April 1, 2026. Scientists point to unexpected side effects of knocking down river dams