Dam and Barrier Removal

Across the Southeast, thousands of dams, mill ponds, and undersized culverts still stand on streams that no longer need them. Many were built for grist mills, textile plants, or farm ponds that disappeared generations ago, and what they left behind is fragmented habitat, trapped sediment, warmed and stagnant water, and structures that grow less safe every year. The momentum to change that is real: American Rivers documented 100 dam removals across the U.S. in 2025, and the Southeast alone reconnected more than 2,400 miles of upstream river habitat that year. We help clients be part of that momentum, taking barriers out and giving rivers their connectivity back for the fish, mussels, and other aquatic species that depend on it.

Understand the Structure, the Sediment, and the Stakes

Every removal starts with understanding what's behind the dam. We work alongside our clients to assess the structure itself, the volume and character of impounded sediment, and the channel, floodplain, and infrastructure downstream. Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, geomorphic assessment, and sediment sampling tell us how the river will respond once the barrier is gone. From there we develop and evaluate alternatives, from full removal to partial breach to culvert replacement, and build a plan that manages sediment actively, passively, or in stages, depending on what the site and the downstream reach can handle.

AOP Prioritized, Downstream Protected

Our priority on every project is aquatic organism passage. A removal that leaves a perched outlet, a bedrock ledge, or a velocity barrier hasn't finished the job, so we design the post-removal channel to reconnect habitat for the species that matter most on that stream, whether that's a federally listed mussel, a migrating shad, or a native brook trout. But reconnecting habitat upstream can't come at the expense of the river downstream. We plan removals to be safe for the crews on site and the people and property below the dam, with dewatering, staging, and breach sequencing designed to keep water and sediment under control from start to finish. And we manage impounded sediment deliberately, whether that means excavating it, stabilizing it in place, or releasing it in measured phases, so the downstream channel, habitat, and infrastructure aren't overwhelmed. Done this way, a dam removal is more than than just a demolition, it's the beginning of the restoration process.