I cannot imagine getting the go-ahead to build the largest dam in the world on a 2,500' thick peat mattress.
When has a really bad idea ever permanently gotten in the way of $? We'll be seeing attempts for Pebble the rest of our lives, I think. A segway, here.
The Yukon River Dam is still on the books, as is the Missouri River Diversion (Irrigation) Project from the 50's. For those unfamiliar with the latter, basically it was to use water from the Garrison Reservoir (Lake Sacajawea) to irrigate points east- primarily the Red River Valley. Since the RR drains north into Lake Winnipeg, and eventually Hudson Bay, the Canadians thumbs downed it for reasons of ag runoff, and species introduction into their waters. As I understand it, it is still on the books, just back-shelved by the Army Corp of Engineers, et. al.
All that water did prove handy for the fracking process in ND, I was told. MY dad was crane operator for the construction of the first 4 of those big surge tanks at the Garrison dam. My oldest brother rolled a Uke off the dam face once, and my BIL also worked on the dam. We lived about 15 miles downriver - a 25 mile drive to the dam site. A younger brother, now retired, has done extensive historical research all over that area (required for pipelines, fracking operations, new roads, etc....), as well as places as far away as Guam.
This is off the subject even more, but he told me a funny? story a few weeks ago when I was in CO. He had some research to do on Cheyenne Mt and requested the required documents. Included (but not requested!!) in the packet he received one afternoon was the electrical schematics for Cheyenne Mt. He called up with: "I think someone made a mistake...."
He was told "Don't worry about it"
The next morning when he came into his office, the packet of requested materials was still in his desk. Without the electrical schematics.
