Video shows impressive behind-the-scenes footage of California dam removal project

The "trust the process" philosophy doesn't just refer to patient Philadelphia 76ers fans.

When it comes to removing a dam and restoring rivers, the optics and the final vision take some time to materialize. A video shared by the nonprofit California Trout on Facebook and Instagram showed the arduous process in motion.

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A post shared by California Trout (@californiatrout)

The footage was of Pacific Gas and Electric Company's removal of the Inskip Diversion Dam from the South Fork of Battle Creek in Northern California. This project aims to support local fish species, including trout, Chinook salmon, and steelhead, by restoring their natural habitats.

"The dam no longer served a useful purpose and the benefits of removing the dam outweigh the benefits of leaving it in place," California Trout wrote in the caption. "Like surgery, river restoration is not necessarily pretty…at first."

As the video shows, there's a lot of gruntwork that goes into this. Dewatering the creek kicks it off, before removing the masonry dam that was over 110 years old. 

From there, it's not going to magically appear as it was before the dam was built. There's a host of natural features to be rebuilt and replanting to follow. All of that painstaking work serves to restore the ecosystem, reconnect rivers, and boost the health of the fish population.

Removing obsolete dams is important for several reasons. These structures can contaminate water by trapping sediment and impeding the flow of nutrients that support ecosystems downstream. 

Fish benefit, as do humans who depend on them for a food source or can use rivers for recreation. Free-flowing rivers can also help control flooding and other extreme weather conditions.

Like anything else, knocking something down to start almost from scratch doesn't always viscerally look great.

"It may appear messy, but eventually watersheds and ecosystems rebound in beautiful ways!" California Trout's caption noted.

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Commenters on Facebook applauded the dam removal project.

"It's undeniable when dams are removed salmon, trout and steelhead flourish," one wrote. "When it makes sense and the dam isn't producing power for what it costs to maintain, you're out of there!"

"Battle Creek is one of the most unique fisheries in Northern California flowing through primarily private [areas] with monster rainbow's, steelhead, and King Salmon," another user wrote.

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