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This scale diagram shows how migrating American eels are killed in the turbines of hydroelectric dams.

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Hydroelectric turbines are large metal wheels equipped with numerous metal blades. Due to the force of water surging under pressure as it passes the turbine blades, the entire turbine spins at high speed. The spinning turbine is connected by an axle to an electrical generator. As the turbine spins, it spins the generator, producing electricity.

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To view several types of hydroelectric turbines used on New England rivers, click here. Hit the back button to return to this page.

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While the design of hydroelectric turbines allows them to efficiently generate electricity from moving water, their rapidly spinning blades, often spaced less than one foot apart, ensures that all or most fish forced past the turbine blades will be severely injured or killed.

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Think of a hydroelectric dam turbine as a 5-8 foot diameter industrial exhaust fan with numerous steel blades spinning at a high rate of speed.

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Now imagine sticking your arm into a fan of this size. What would happen to your arm?

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What would happen to your arm is what happens to migrating American eels at hydroelectric dams.

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This is what happens when a 3-foot long American eel is forced to migrate to the ocean through a hydroelectric dam turbine.

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