Wave energy from rivers

olddave adds a new persective.... anyone from around there to comment a little further?

The Kiski is a dead river. They killed it close to 100 years ago with mining practices that would not be allowed today. The Conomaugh and Lowalhauna makes the head waters of the Kiski, and is so badly contaminated that they do not allow swimming. It runs through some of the most highly mined regions in Pa for drift mines in the state. Drift mines were dug at the lowest point of the coal seam to allow gravity drainage of the mines. Common sense would dictate that the drop of the Kiski is one of the highest in the world per foot of drop of any river. That alone should make this river a perfect for low level hydro development. Why in the world would anyone develop a joke technology, when you could capture true hydro power from the river with low head a dam, without ANY threat to the environment, and harness true power from a dead stream instead of pie in the sky wasted technology? Dam the Kiski, use the power, and forget friendly technology that will only drain a dying city of its revenues, or even worst, drain the state of more wasted funds that the RENDELL administration has already thrown away on junk science. They stock the Kiski with trout every year, the only stream you dump them in, and they jump back out on the bank to escape the pollution. This river is little more than a threat to the people who live along it. We should use it to its full advantage, being a poison stream, and tell the Arabs to go pound salt. The mines are not the only threat on the Kiski. A troubled past with nuclear facilities that dumped massive amounts of contaminated waste into the river is another issue. Only a fool or idiot would use this river for recreation. I would not put my foot in it with boots on. Forget being eco and use a wasted and contaminated resource for a good purpose. Low level dames would actually improve the river, they would help to flush out the contamination, and add oxygen to the water. Maybe in 10,000 years, the halve life of plutonium, the river may actually be safe to use. Do not be duped by the green people with promises that will give you no return on your tax dollars. Mother earth did not plan on the vermon that took advantage of Pa's natural resources for the last 100 years. Vandergrift is cursed with a liability, why not turn into a positive use. What a terrible waste of a wonderful river.

Throughout the settling of New England, the rivers powered first the gristmills of our ingenious early settlers & then later, larger textile mills. Everything old is new again. Let's roll it out & get the support necessary to get these wonderful energy options financed & in operation. One just has to wade or play in a river to feel the energy generated. Life doesn’t have to be as difficult as we make it. Treading lightly on Mother Earth for our sustenance often times provides the most rewarding, yet overlooked results we seek to attain.

its allways nice to see new was to integrate into the ecosystems instead of degradating it, thumbs up!

I don't have enough info regarding disruption of the ecosystem -- insects, fish, plants, algaes, bacteria, etc. -- but it has to be an improvement on current (he he he) systems/methods.

thats about it, all the tools to change the world.

I think it is exciting as it means not damming rivers for hydro electric. It is making use of what is created and beautiful.

It helps in the energy conservation

how sweet they're doing this in the kiski river. I live right here. This article is definitely exciting. I'm so glad they're doing this kind of stuff in my neck of the woods. I literally live ten minutes from vandergrift. so exciting!