Well, if the feds or state want to take your land, doesn't matter if you are indigenous or had 5 generations raised up in the holler. If they want it, they'll take it. Before you throw a pity party for the displaced, a lot of them have been paid over market value for their properties. Environmental groups have blocked them by trying to save the snail darter, the 64 toed wood toad or whatever. Some were successful but not many.
If they are building a reservoir to supply drinking water to a city, supply water for agriculture or for flood control, all valid uses.... provided the use doesn't dewater the river downstream like they do out west. My only criticism is that it seems they base it off of current needs and don't factor in enough future demands.
Tailwater fisheries are amazing with a very diverse ecosystem below the dams. Only time I have seen an osprey take a fish, drag it to a boulder only to have it stolen by a bald eagle was on a tailwater. Yes, it artificially alters temperature in many of them but insect, plant and fish life flourish. I'd give up 100 miles of carp and catfish water to have it teaming with trout and smallmouth.
Without water, there is no life. As city sizes grow, so will their need for the resource. I expect to see many more built for flood control and drinking water before my time here is up. I just hope they are forward thinking enough to make them large enough and include different release options during construction. The Delaware, Bighorn, Madison and San Juan are all dream destinations for many. Some of the best fisheries in the country are tailwaters
