dam

In 2024, California removed an 18-foot dam from Neefus Gulch and restored 1,600 feet of stream; by January 2026, 8 spawning nests were recorded above barriers salmon had been unable to pass for 70+ years

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In 2024, California removed an 18-foot dam from Neefus Gulch and restored 1,600 feet of stream; by January 2026, 8 spawning nests were recorded above barriers salmon had been unable to pass for 70+ years

In 2024, California removed an 18-foot dam from Neefus Gulch and restored 1,600 feet of stream, reopening habitat that salmon had been unable to reach for more than seven decades. By January 2026, surveys recorded eight spawning nests, known as redds, in the newly accessible reaches above the former barrier, a sign that endangered Central … Read more

More than a century ago, a railroad dam blocked Michigan’s Buckhorn Creek; after its removal, the stream is flowing freely again and a new 90-foot bridge now crosses above it

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More than a century ago, a railroad dam blocked Michigan’s Buckhorn Creek; after its removal, the stream is flowing freely again and a new 90-foot bridge now crosses above it

More than 100 years after a dam built beneath the historic Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad disrupted the natural flow of Buckhorn Creek, the waterway is running free again, and the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail now crosses it on a new 90-foot bridge. The Muskegon River Watershed Assembly (MRWA), which has led the restoration … Read more

In 2014, Virginia removed a dam that had blocked migrating fish for over 70 years; nearly 130 miles of upstream spawning and nursery habitat reopened

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In 2014, Virginia removed a dam that had blocked migrating fish for over 70 years; nearly 130 miles of upstream spawning and nursery habitat reopened

For decades, a concrete barrier on Virginia’s Appomattox River stood between migratory fish and more than 120 miles of upstream habitat. In 2014, its removal changed that. The Harvell Dam in Petersburg was taken out as part of a collaborative restoration effort, reconnecting roughly 127 miles of river for migratory and resident fish, according to … Read more

In 2020, Ohio removed a dam from the once-polluted Cuyahoga River; it reopened 39 km of habitat, and scientists later detected 15 additional fish taxa

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In 2020, Ohio removed a dam from the once-polluted Cuyahoga River; it reopened 39 km of habitat, and scientists later detected 15 additional fish taxa

An 18-metre concrete dam on Ohio’s Cuyahoga River once stopped migrating fish from reaching important spawning areas for more than a century. Today, aquatic life is quickly returning to the river. Researchers from the US Geological Survey, working with state biological agencies, have released new long-term monitoring data showing a major ecological recovery. After the … Read more

In 2020, a catastrophic Michigan dam disaster left Smallwood Lake drawn down; six years and a $50.2 million rebuild later, water is finally returning to 721 waterfront properties

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In 2020, a catastrophic Michigan dam disaster left Smallwood Lake drawn down; six years and a $50.2 million rebuild later, water is finally returning to 721 waterfront properties

Lake status as of July 21 Six years after a catastrophic dam disaster left Smallwood Lake drawn down in Michigan, water is finally returning to the lake. The refill began on August 4, following the completion of a $50.2 million rebuild of Smallwood Dam, and is expected to take eight to 10 weeks, depending on … Read more

In the 1960s, the US began displacing around 600 families for a 40-mile reservoir; in 1975 the dam was shelved and their land became a 70,000-acre national park

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In the 1960s, the US began displacing around 600 families for a 40-mile reservoir; in 1975 the dam was shelved and their land became a 70,000-acre national park

Origin Story: The Tocks Island Dam Controversy The US government once planned to flood a 40-mile stretch of the Delaware River valley to build a massive reservoir, only to cancel the project and turn the acquired land into a sprawling federal parkland. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, a 70,000-acre national park spanning Pennsylvania … Read more

In 2024, a beaver returned to a California creek after 19 years and began cutting down aspen trees beside a man-made dam

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In 2024, a beaver returned to a California creek after 19 years and began cutting down aspen trees beside a man-made dam

For nearly two decades, there was no sign of beavers along Strawberry Creek in Great Basin National Park. Then, in 2024, park staff discovered evidence that one had returned, several quaking aspen trees had been freshly cut down beside a beaver dam analogue, a human-built structure designed to imitate the ecological effects of a natural … Read more

In 2011, Myanmar suspended a giant China-backed dam after public outrage; it now plans to restart a project that could flood an area the size of Singapore

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In 2011, Myanmar suspended a giant China-backed dam after public outrage; it now plans to restart a project that could flood an area the size of Singapore

Ethnic Kachin people visit Myitsone, the confluence of the Mali and Nmai rivers, outside Myitkyina, capital city of Kachin state, Myanmar Fourteen years after public protests forced construction to stop, Myanmar is preparing to restart the $3.6 billion (£2.8 billion) Myitsone hydropower project in Kachin State. The China-backed dam would create a reservoir roughly the … Read more

In 2012, conservationists began working to remove an obsolete Massachusetts dam; 14 years later, demolition started to reconnect 7 miles of stream and restore 6 acres of wetland

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In 2012, conservationists began working to remove an obsolete Massachusetts dam; 14 years later, demolition started to reconnect 7 miles of stream and restore 6 acres of wetland

Duxbury, MassachusettsRepresentative image For more than a century, a small concrete dam stood in the way of a river’s natural flow. Built to serve industries that no longer exist, the Temple Street Dam in Duxbury, Massachusetts, had long outlived its purpose. It blocked fish from reaching their spawning grounds, trapped sediment, created a maintenance burden … Read more