MEMORANDUM

To:
Professor Skolnik
From: Jacob Fuerst
Date: 1/31/14
Re:
Assignment #1 Research Proposal
Because dams have been found to emit nearly 23% of all methane emissions from human
activity, I will be researching how the use of methane-capturing techniques may not just
curb the problem, but offer a source of renewable energy as well. I will apply my primary
and secondary research to a recommendation report addressed to the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE). The USACE Dam Safety Program manages 694 dams nationwide,
all of which have the potential to emit methane that could be collected and utilized. I will
seek to demonstrate that the seizure of methane from dams nationwide reduces harmful
environmental effects, like global warming. I will also research the potential of damemitted methane to be an innovative source of renewable energy.

Background
According to the INPE, or National Institute for Space Research, dam methane gas
emissions account for 4% of total global warming from human activities and 23% of
methane gas emissions from human activities. Methanes impact on global warming is 25
times stronger than that of carbon dioxide. While large dams have been commonly
targeted as the problem, small dams have been found to emit methane gas as well. Thus,
capturing and using the excess methane from dams as renewable energy could alleviate
the harmful effects of methane on the environment and global warming.
I will conduct research into this area to determine ways in which methane gas can be
collected from dams. I will address my research to the USACE Dam Safety Program, my
key audience, because they control hundreds of sizeable dams throughout the nation. My
recommendation report will also address the American community at large because
public awareness of methane gas emission from dams is negligible.
Awareness of the potential for methane collection from dams is not widespread.
Therefore, I am conducting research into the area because organizations like USACE
could harness this potential from my findings. There are approximately 75,000 dams
throughout the United States, all of which could be a source of renewable energy if
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harnessed. Im researching this because with global warming on the rise, the capture of
dam-emitted methane would be greatly beneficial to the environment. It would also
provide alternative energy to other harmful sources commonly used.
The benefits of capturing methane gas from American dams are threefold:
1. Harmful methane gas emissions into the environment would decrease and total
global warming would be positively impacted.
2. The methane gas collected from dams could be burned to produce renewable
energy, which could supplement other forms of energy used today, like fossil
fuels.
3. The burning of methane for energy converts methane into carbon dioxide, which
is 25 times less harmful to the environment than methane itself.

Problem Statement
The problem here is that dams, once thought to be environmentally friendly, have been
found to emit high levels of methane into the environment and atmosphere. Smalls dams
have also been established as methane producers. Methane is a major contributor to
global warming and is 25 times worse for the environment than carbon dioxide.
However, dam production is increasing. The ideal situation is that all dams worldwide
would be investigated and primed for methane collection. However, the United States has
75,000 dams that can be targeted first. Factors that hinder this ideal include the actual
mode of collecting methane (which are beginning to be researched) and the funding for
such activities.
Questions that will guide my research into the collection of methane from US dams
include:

What are the ways in which we can actually collect methane from dams?
How can we use convert and store this methane to be a usable energy source?
What dams large or small emit the most methane in the US?
How can we fund the collection of methane from US dams?
What roadblocks are there in harnessing methane from dams as usable energy?
What will it cost to (potentially) collect methane gas from dams? Is it fiscally
feasible, and if not, how can it be?

Research Plan
A large majority of my research will be completed online using scholarly articles and
peer reviewed scientific journals. I plan on conducting a lot of secondary source research
into the collection of methane gas from dams worldwide to understand the various ways
it can be done. I will also use this research to answer my aforementioned questions,
particularly about the feasibility and funding of methane gas collection. Primary research
will be conducted by contacting the USACE Dam Safety Program and other programs
that focus on the construction and use of dams. Quantitative research will be gathered
from sources below, along with qualitative research about the viability of collecting
methane from dams.

Secondary Research
Much of my research and data will be drawn from secondary sources. Listed below are a
few of the most promising scientific examinations of capturing methane gas from dams.
Also listed are sites that demonstrate methanes potential to be energy and the harmful
effects that dam-produced methane gas currently has on the environment. Many of these
sites have visuals that I will use to supplement my research.
Bambace, L.A.W., et al. "Mitigation and Recovery of Methane Emissions From Tropical
Hydroelectric Dams." Energy 32.6 (2007): 1038-1046. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
Frankel, Max. "Study: Reservoirs May Produce 20 Times More Methane Than Normal
During Water Drawdown." Climate Progress. Center for American Progress
Action Fund, 09 Aug 2012. Web. 25 Jan 2014.
<http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/08/09/663881/study-reservoirs-mayproduce-20-times-more-methane-than-normal-during-water-drawdown/>.
Kemsley, Tamarra. "Even Small Dams a Potential Hotbed for the Greenhouse Gas
Methane." Nature World News. NatureWorldNews.com, 31 Jul 2013. Web. 25
Jan 2014. <http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/3265/20130731/evensmall-dams-potential-hotbed-greenhouse-gas-methane.htm>.
Kikuchi, R., and P. Bingre do Amaral. "Conceptual Schematic For Capture Of
Biomethane Released From Hydroelectric Power Facilities." Bioresource
Technology 99.13 (2008): 5967-5971. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Jan.
2014.
"Methane From Dams: Greenhouse Gas to Power Source." Environment News Service.
International Daily Newswire, 09 May 2007. Web. 27 Jan 2014. <http://www.ensnewswire.com/ens/may2007/2007-05-09-04.asp>.
Ramos, F. M., et al. "Methane Stocks In Tropical Hydropower Reservoirs as a Potential
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Energy Source." Climatic Change 93.1/2 (2009): 1-13.Academic Search

Complete. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.
"Reservoir Emissions." International Rivers. International Rivers. Web. 24 Jan 2014.
<http://www.internationalrivers.org/campaigns/reservoir-emissions>.
"Sediment Behind Dams Creates Methane 'Hot Spots'." Voice of America. Voices of
America, 31 Jul 2013. Web. 26 Jan 2014.
<http://www.voanews.com/content/dams--methane-emissions/1713820.html>.
Through these sources and others, I plan to research:
1. Negative effects of methane on atmosphere and environment, in visuals and
statistics
2. Ways that dams produce methane and how much they produce
3. The amount of methane produced from small dams verses large ones
4. Scientific ways in which dam-emitted methane can be potentially collected and
used as energy
5. Statistics on successful methane collection from dams
6. Benefits of overall methane reduction on the environment
7. Potential benefits of using methane from dams as energy to supplement or replace
other non-renewable energy sources, like fossil fuels
8. Funding viability of a project like capturing methane gas from dams

Primary Research
To supplement my secondary research, I plan on contacting a variety of potentially
knowledgeable sources. First is the United States Environmental Protection Agency, who
I will contact through their website in hopes of conducting an interview about methane
gas trends in the environment today. I will also interview them about the potential for
recovery of methane gas from dams. Second, I will email the USACE Dam Safety
Program to interview them about the ways they currently handle methane emission from
their many dams.
I will further contact the Warrenville
Grove Dam Modification Project, which
seeks to remove the Warrenville Grove
Dam because of environmental damages.
This dam is not far from where I grew up,
so researching it closely and understanding
why the project seeks to remove it will be
beneficial to my research. I will use this as
a case study on which I form an
understanding of the effects of individual
dams on the environment.
Figure 1 - Warrenville Dam. From
<http://www.dupageco.org/edp/Stormwater_Management/
projects/1393/>
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Audience
My primary audience will be the USACE, who will be made aware of the potential
benefits of collecting methane from US dams. The contact I have with the USACE will
become clearer as I conduct my interviews with them. My audience will also be the
scientific community at large, which has conducted limited research into this area thus
far. I hope to spur others into exploring the possibilities of dam-produced methane gas as
a renewable energy source. Furthermore, my report will address my fellow community
members so as to enlighten them on the negative environmental effects of dams.

Visuals and Data Representation

I plan to use the visuals like those on many of my secondary sources to validate the
claims I make about methanes effects on the environment. This will include, but not be
limited to, graphs of dam placement in the US and pictures of methane producing dams. I
will also have visual representations of statistics like the levels of methane emitted by
humans over the last few decades, percentage graphs of methane emissions and what
causes them, and diagrams of the methane produced by dams of different sizes.
My data will also be represented in the form of statistics in my report and in numbers
demonstrating the cost of capturing methane gas from dams. These will help substantiate
the claims I make about the viability of using dam-emitted methane as energy. Below is
an example bar graph of methane emissions (enteric fermentation representing damemitted methane):

Figure 2 - Methane Emissions. From ,http://epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/ch4.html>

Schedule
Dates
Tasks
Secondary Res.
Primary Res.
Warr. Dam Study
Visuals
Drafting Report
Editing Report

Week 4 (1/27) Week 5 (2/3)

Week 6 (2/10) Week 7 (2/17) Week 8 (2/24)

Qualifications
Global warming has been an issue for years now, but much of the focus has been on
carbon dioxide; in fact, methane is much worse for the atmosphere. I have been in other
environmental classes that speak about global warming, but methane gas was rarely
touched on. I became aware of its harmful effects a couple years ago and when I found
that dams produce it, I instantly knew this topic would satisfy me. I live near a large dam
in Warrenville and have been to it with my father, which gave me some background on
the topic.
Moreover, Ive been interested in renewable energy for a long time. Ive toured the
country multiple times with my band, and after seeing windmills, solar panels and other
forms of energy sources all over the nation, I knew methane gas had potential to be just
as helpful. Im passionate and excited to be researching a renewable energy source that is
still in its infancy.
As a writing tutor at DePaul, I specialize in researching, drafting and writing research
papers. Using primary and secondary research is commonplace in my job and in my work
as a Communication Studies major. Ive written multiple ten page (and more) papers and
understand the process by which one is completed. My prior background as a Journalism
major gives me the interviewing skills necessary to complete the primary research Ive
asserted here as well. My writing skills and passion for the topic combined make this a
worthy use of my academic time.

Conclusion
Research into capturing methane gas given off by American dams poses a potential
source of renewable energy and will also benefit the environment as a whole. Methane
gas given off from dams disproves the idea that dams are environmentally friendly. In
fact, dams give off almost a quarter of all human-caused methane emissions.
Recommending to the USACE that they harness the methane being released from their
dams is a step in the right direction in reducing negative environmental effects like global
warming. It also positions us to have access to a new form of renewable energy.
Id like to formally ask for your approval to move forward with the recommendation
report I will write after researching the collection of methane gas from dams and its
positive environmental possibilities.