American Rivers Report: 2024 Tied for Most Ever Dams Removed in US, Underscoring Momentum for River Restoration
Contact: Hawk Hammer, National Communications and Media Director, Hhammer@americanrivers.org
Washington D.C.—Communities in 27 states saw important progress for river health, clean water, and public safety in 2024 thanks to the removal of 108 outdated, unsafe, and uneconomical dams, American Rivers announced today. 2024 tied with 2019 for the most dams removed in a single year.
The dam removals reconnected more than 2,528 miles of rivers, improving river habitats for fish and wildlife and public safety for thousands of people across the country. A total of 2,240 dams have been removed in the U.S. since 1912. The nation is blanketed with more than 550,000 dams.
“It is truly remarkable how fast a river recovers once it is returned to its free-flowing state. In some instances, it only takes a few moments for fish to return upstream,” said Serena McClain, senior director of American Rivers’ national dam removal program. “Not only is dam removal good for river health, but it is also just a smart investment. Removing outdated and unsafe dams eliminates liability for municipalities and private landowners, improves public safety for local communities, and overall river restoration lifts up local economies.”
2024 saw the completion of the largest dam removal project in our nation’s history with the restoration of the Klamath River thanks to decades of leadership from the Karuk, Yurok, and other tribes, and advocacy by local partners. The effort spanned four dams in California and Oregon and in total reconnected 400 miles of river, improving water quality, benefitting wildlife and river ecosystems — including salmon and many other species — and revitalizing the river for future generations.
States With the Highest Number of Dam Removals in 2024:
- Pennsylvania (27 removals)
- Michigan (10 removals)
- Minnesota and Virginia (7 removals each)
The threat posed by flooding and extreme storms continue to be a driving factor in the removal of dams. Of the 108 dams removed in 2024, more than 43 percent were motivated by safety concerns, liability concerns or economic considerations. It is one of the reasons why the continued investment of public funding in removing outdated dam infrastructure is so important. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided a needed infusion of funds for dam removals in 2024, with at least 13 projects utilizing these funds. More than 48 percent of the dams removed received some form of public funding to help address unsafe dams and support rebuilding recreational and commercial fisheries.
Dams harm rivers in many ways including lowering water quality and preventing the natural movement of sediment. They also impact aquatic ecosystems and block migrating fish. As they age, dams can be liabilities that put communities in harm’s way of catastrophic flooding and other risks.
“While the legal framework of dam management varies based on a number of factors, the safety of our nation’s most hazardous dams depends on assistance and funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Dam Safety Program,” said McClain. “As we face a new landscape of extreme weather, and infrastructure continues to age, we encourage the new administration to invest in FEMA’s future and ensure that hazardous dam deficiencies are addressed.”
Increasing frequency of extreme weather impacts over the last two decades often exceed the flow capacity for which dams were designed or threaten aging dams that are often already in poor condition. In 2024, the Rapidan Dam in Minnesota partially failed after days of intense rainfall. At least 36 high-hazard dams — dams that in the event of failure would likely cause high value property damage or loss of life —failed or were damaged by Hurricane Helene in addition to dozens of other non-jurisdictional dams. In Vermont, at least five dams failed and 50 dams sustained enough damage to require repair following multiple historic flooding events throughout July and August.
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About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. For more information, please visit AmericanRivers.org.