Arizona Shut Down a 96-Year-Old Dam — What the Desert River Did Next Was Unreal

Arizona Shut Down a 96-Year-Old Dam — What the Desert River Did Next Was Unreal In 1909, Arizona buried a desert creek's entire flow inside a wooden flume to power Phoenix. In 2005, the utility voluntarily shut it off — and Fossil Creek came roaring back. Native fish populations climbed as much as 150-fold, dormant travertine began building rock again, and a starved canyon became one of the richest stretches of life in the Southwest. This is the full forensic story of one of the most successful river restorations in American history. Sources & Further Reading U.S. Forest Service — Fossil Creek Wild & Scenic River: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/... Bureau of Reclamation — Fossil Creek Native Fish Restoration Report: https://www.usbr.gov/lc/phoenix/biolo... National Wild & Scenic Rivers — Fossil Creek: https://rivers.gov/river/fossil NAU — Jane Marks & the science of dam removal: https://news.nau.edu/biology-professo... Center for Biological Diversity — Fossil Creek: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/p... ASME — Childs-Irving Hydroelectric Project (Historic Landmark): https://www.asme.org/about-asme/engin... Plan your visit / permits (Recreation.gov): https://www.recreation.gov/permits/42... #FossilCreek #Arizona #Conservation #RiverRestoration #DamRemoval #Wildlife #NatureDocumentary