Excavators are currently working on the Watauga River to dismantle the Shulls Mill Dam. The process involves carefully breaking apart the concrete structure, which has kept the river in check for almost 200 years, allowing for a gradual opening of the waterway.
The eastern hellbender salamander, a unique and ancient creature, is set to benefit greatly from the removal of a privately-owned hydropower dam in western North Carolina. With the river now able to flow freely for almost 80 miles (129 kilometers), rafters, kayakers, and tubers will enjoy improved conditions, but the eastern hellbender salamander will particularly thrive.
The salamander, commonly referred to as a snot otter or Allegheny alligator, is the largest salamander in North America, capable of growing up to two feet (61 centimeters) in length. Unfortunately, its habitat range in areas like southern Appalachia has significantly reduced, leading to a 70% decrease in its population over the last 50 years.
Andy Hill, a Watagua Riverkeeper with MountainTrue, partnered with American Rivers to remove a dam in July to make space for the hellbender, an amphibian that requires clear, clean, cold, and heavily oxygenated water for its habitat. Hill emphasizes the hellbender’s importance as a keystone species for the mountain stream ecosystem, and the removal of the dam will create new habitat for them.
Removing aging, derelict structures that once powered mills, irrigated farmland, or impounded water is becoming a national trend. The demolition of Shulls Mill Dam is part of this movement to restore rivers to their natural state. The campaign to demolish dams has been around for decades, but with the funding infusion from the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, it has intensified. The goal is to boost biodiversity, improve water quality, and strengthen flood protection, especially with worsening storms.
Federal agencies, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Federal Emergency Management Agency, are set to receive over $2 billion for the maintenance, repair, and removal of dams, culverts, and other barriers. A total of 544 projects have already been completed, utilizing $920 million of the allocated funds.
Over the course of five years, the wildlife service will receive a staggering $200 million to aid in dam removal. Just recently, in April, the agency revealed their plans to provide $70 million in grants, which will support 43 projects aimed at removing dams and other river barriers across 29 states.
According to Amy Horstman, the National Fish Passage Program coordinator for the service, grants that were once limited to a few hundred thousand dollars are now reaching into the millions of dollars. She stated that this has resulted in a significant increase in funding. Horstman expressed her excitement by describing it as a “huge, huge uplift.”
She exclaimed, “It’s remarkable to witness the way aquatic connectivity is being transformed in terms of scope and scale. We are now capable of pondering it in a whole new way.” She further added that individuals have been approaching them with more vast and intricate projects, requesting their assistance in bearing a larger proportion of the burden.
Dam removals are receiving funding from states as well.
According to a 2019 report by The Associated Press, North Carolina had the second-largest number of dams in poor or unsatisfactory condition. To address this issue, the state has allocated $7.2 million towards the removal of several dams in the western region, including Shulls Mill Dam and at least five others.
In response to the devastating dam failure that displaced thousands in 2020, Michigan’s Legislature took action and earmarked over $43 million for dam maintenance and removals. Thanks to this funding, a dozen dams have already been removed, including the Maple River dam that breached in 2023.
Mason Manuszak, an environmental engineer in the state’s dam safety unit, emphasized the importance of minimizing the risk of harm to human life and property damage. He also stressed the ecological advantages that come with dam removal, which they are striving to educate people on.
According to Serena McClain, who is the senior director of the national dam removal program at American Rivers, the recent increase in funding, particularly from the infrastructure bill, presents a valuable chance to secure funding for crucial projects.
McClain stressed that this is just the beginning, as a significant number of the country’s dams, which range from 500,000 to 1 million in number, are more than 60 years old. Moreover, the expenses incurred in their removal can vary considerably, ranging from a few hundred thousand dollars to tens of millions of dollars.
McClain expressed his enthusiasm, stating that the provided amount is a significant step towards the restoration and reconnection of the crucial river habitat across the nation.
Aquatic species, particularly migrating fish, are among the primary beneficiaries of dam removals. According to studies, the removal of dams can reduce water temperatures and improve dissolved oxygen levels in rivers, resulting in increased populations of trout and salmon, as well as freshwater mussels and American eels.
According to Fish and Wildlife’s Horstman, it’s evident from scientific studies that obstructions can negatively impact not just one specific area, but the entire system as a whole.
The removal of some large dam systems is currently taking place, such as the four Klamath River dams in California, which is considered the largest removal project ever undertaken. However, it’s worth noting that the dams being demolished are generally smaller in scale.
This summer, the Remnant Mill Dam on the Sabattus River in Maine is set to be removed, with the added benefit of providing passage for river herring and Atlantic salmon, both of which are federally endangered species. Furthermore, the project will also aid in flood protection. Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, the Mohawk River’s Washburn Mill Dam was removed to improve connectivity to almost 40 miles (64 kilometers) of brook trout habitat, thus enhancing the overall ecosystem.
The Hamilton Dam in Flint, Michigan is set for demolition after standing for over a century to power mill operations. The dam, located on the Flint River, has been a constant danger of collapsing and flooding the downtown area. The removal of the dam will open up 25 miles (40 kilometers) of upstream habitat, which will greatly benefit the lake sturgeon population, according to U.S. wildlife officials. Additionally, it will enhance flood protection, elevate water quality, and encourage the revitalization of the riverfront.
Instead of using typical excavation equipment, the McKinley Lake Dam, located approximately 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Missoula, Montana, was demolished using explosives that were transported by mules. This dam is one of ten that are over one hundred years old and situated on eight glacial lakes that are being removed to lower water levels and revive wetlands that are essential to the survival of native amphibians like the long-toed salamander and Columbia spotted frog. The removal of these dams would also have a positive impact on the native trout species in the streams below the lakes.
Rob Roberts, a senior project manager with Trout Unlimited, explained that the project to remove all the dams in the next decade is a rewilding and re-naturalizing exercise. The project, which costs nearly $4 million, is being carried out in partnership with government agencies.
However, removing dams is not a universally supported solution, particularly when it comes to larger structures.
Several Republican lawmakers from the Western region, including California’s Doug LaMalfa, Oregon’s Cliff Bentz, Washington’s Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Idaho’s Russ Fulcher, are contending that the said projects are causing a depletion of reservoirs, resulting in the disappearance of water sources for farmers, and the loss of jobs in hydroelectric plants due to the accumulation of acres of sludge.
Advocates for keeping dams argue that those who support dam removal fail to recognize that there are multiple reasons why fish populations may be declining, including overfishing, pollution, and disease. They assert that the presence of spawning obstacles is just one of many factors that need to be considered when addressing this issue.
LaMalfa, who attempted to prevent dam removal on the Klamath River, believes that the decision to remove the dams is a political maneuver aimed at consolidating power. He argues that those pushing for removal are determined to tear down the dams, which he views as prized possessions.
Advocates in North Carolina are praising the removal of dams along the Wautauga River, which has resulted in cleaner water and improved conditions for fish in areas that had been disrupted for many years.
Divers have captured eight hellbenders living below the dam and relocated them to a safer location downstream, where another dam was removed earlier this year. This move is expected to improve the living conditions for these creatures and enhance their chances of survival.
According to Michael Gangloff, who is in charge of biological monitoring at the Shulls Mill location for Appalachian State University, the water quality should improve and become more appealing to salamanders due to the free-flowing river. As per Gangloff, the sediment will be carried downstream, revealing more prominent rocks and boulders where salamanders can reside, lay eggs, and raise their young.
According to Gangloff, the habitat conditions around the dam are expected to improve significantly. In the next 10 to 20 years, it may even become difficult to discern that a dam ever existed there.