High Elevation Dams in Mountain Headwaters for Cold, Reliable, Quality Supply

High Elevation Dams in mountain headwaters help combat earlier snowmelt and glacial recession around the world.

Places like the Bangladesh and Pakistan highlands with flat, large valleys are extremely prone to flooding and mud debris flows as glaciers melt and monsoon storms become more extreme and lasting. Dry climates like Peru, Bolivia and Chile can gain much by storing water at high elevations, especially as snow melts off their highest peaks, to ensure adequate cool water for human and species needs, timed to be released at key seasonal junctures. 

In the US, the drier Western States are increasingly susceptible to wildfire because of poor forest management leading to excessive fuels and extreme tree density. Therefore, planning high elevation storage with re-incorporation of meadows and lumber / paper mill activities could provide both increased jobs, safety, air quality and risk mitigation.

In the Pacific NW, salmon runs could be greatly enhanced with cool, timed releases at elevation, while supplementing farm flows and critical crop growth periods, while Glacier National Park could continue to be a huge eco-tourist attraction through better reservoir planning and construction as an example of this new way of thinking.