On last week’s TWiV, my pick at the end of the episode was the nifty fish elevator one can tour at the Holyoke Dam, just a short distance from my house. If you find yourself anywhere near western Massachusetts next Spring, it’s worth stopping by there for a visit. In the meantime, here are some photos.
Lampreys, a species of jawless fish that evolved 360 million years ago, are regular users of the elevator.American shad played an outsized role in early US history, and are the main species relying on the fish elevator for their spawning migration.Here’s a short video of the viewing window, showing the current elevator load waiting for the upper gate to open.The Holyoke Dam is also the main source of electricity for a small city, thanks to this hydroelectric turbine. It’s built with simple, effective 1930s-era technology.
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