Mr. Word said that 324 dams pose potential threats to life and that only two of those have failed this week.
In addition to the significant threat that dams pose to fish populations and the ecosystems of rivers and streams, hydropower can negatively impact both the flow and quality of water.
The dam also poses threats to the Irrawaddy dolphin.
The threat that the dam posed on the mussel life, particularly the Dwarf Wedge Mussel was one of the primary reasons for its removal.
Environmentalists have warned that the dam poses threats to the ecosystem of the river and its valley.
In addition to the physical barriers the dams pose, the slowing speed and altered course of the river raises temperatures, alters oxygen content, and changes river bed conditions.
Critics like the Humane Society object to the killing of the sea lions, claiming that hydroelectric dams pose a greater threat to the salmon.
Over time the dam eroded to where it posed a potential threat to those living downstream.
Prior to its removal, the dam posed a barrier to salmon migration.
The report also pointed out the threat the dam would pose to the Yukon River's large salmon population, which swim upstream each year to spawn.