Corey Dunn's Principle

This is an example of ignoring principle 3, which states flow is the primary driver of stream channel physical habitat. While researching interbasin transfers, I came across an example of the drastic economic and potential ecological (if it had been studied) consequences of an interbasin transfer of 88 percent of the flow of the Santee River to the Cooper River for hydropower. The increase in flow in the Cooper River increased the river’s capacity to carry sediment downstream, which was ultimately deposited in the Charleston Harbor. The increased sediment in the harbor had to be constantly dredged to protect shipping lanes inflicting an unforeseen economic cost. To fix this, engineers went full circle and rediverted flow back into the Santee River from downstream sections of the Cooper River (Meador 1994).