Eleven dams were removed from the Delaware River last year, a move expected to improve conditions for local wildlife and reduce hazards for nearby communities, writes Octavia Feliciano for the Delaware Currents.
A new report from American Rivers, a nonprofit tracking the removal of obsolete man-made dams, shows that Pennsylvania led the nation with 27 dams removed from rivers and creeks.
“I like to compare a dam in a river to a blood clot in an artery of your body,” said Jessie Thomas-Blate, director of river restoration at American Rivers. “You want your blood to be able to flow freely and not be obstructed, and the same thing is true with rivers.”
The removal of dams opens up spawning grounds for migratory fish species. The resulting increase in water flow also helps regulate temperature and oxygen levels, benefiting the broader ecosystem.
Of the eleven dams removed from the Delaware River Basin, nine were in Pennsylvania and two in New Jersey. Pennsylvania dams included the Archibald Johnston Conservation Area Dams 1 through 6, the City of Easton Lower Dam, Dilldown Creek Dam, and the Lorimer Reserve Upper Pond Dam.
Read more about the Delaware River Basin and the benefits to come with the dam removals in the Delaware Currents.
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