Why consider removal? Learn why the number of removals are rising and how you can get involved to improve your river and your community.
Men may dam it and say that they have made a lake, but it will still be a river. It will keep its nature and bide its time, like a caged animal alert for the slightest opening. In Time, it will have its way; the dam, like the ancient cliffs, will be carried away piecemeal in the currents.
- Wendell Berry |
Experience with over 30 communities facing the dam repair/removal decision has taught us that there are some commonly asked questions and concerns that you should be prepared to address.
Go to FAQs
The River Alliance gathered data for over three years in the basins of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan to determine the ecological impact of small dams. Using Geographic Information Systems, we were able to determine not only these dams' ecological impact, but also to rank them by their relative impact. See http://www.patrickgis.com/RiverAlliance/riveralliance_ims/home.asp
This section will point you to public and private sources of funding available for dam removal in Wisconsin.
Go to Funding
In 2005, the River Alliance commissioned a study looking at property values in three types of south central Wisconsin communities: those where a dam remains intact, those where a dam has been recently removed, and those where a river or stream has been free-flowing for more than 20 years.
Analysis showed that residential property located near a free-flowing stream is more valuable than identical property near a small impoundment, and that shoreline frontage along small impoundments does not increase property value compared to frontage along free-flowing streams.
The general conclusions of this research are:
- Shoreline frontage along small impoundments (ponds) does not notably increase residential property value compared to frontage along free-flowing rivers.
- Residential property located near a free-flowing river is more valuable than identical property located near an impoundment (pond). Our research estimated that property along a free-flowing river would be worth, on average, $14,000 more than a similar property at the site of a recently removed dam or current impoundment (pond).
- The results also indicate that removing a dam does little harm to property values in the short run (2 years in the study), and helps increase property values in the long run, as the stream and the area along it return to a “natural” free-flowing state, or are managed as a desirable open space such as a park.
The results of this study fit with what others have observed about the restoration of streams in Wisconsin.
While this research focused on a single housing market in a relatively small area, the basic messages of these results apply to other locations as well. The study focused on communities that had relatively small ponds, and the results may not apply to large impoundments where recreational activities like fishing, boating and swimming are well established.
Based on what our research found, we would expect that properties that lose their frontage on impoundments would not decrease in value, and may in fact increase in value as their frontage converts to frontage on a river. The value of properties that no longer have water frontage after a dam remov al depends on what replaces the area of the former impoundment. Often, such a riverside public “greenbelt” replaces the impoundment. Studies indicate open space increases the housing values of adjacent properties, particularly if the open space is dedicated to nature preservation and passive experiences, such as hiking and birdwatching.
Citation: Provencher, B., H. Sarakinos, and T. Meyer. "Does Small Dam Removal Affect Local Property Values? An Empirical Analysis." University of Wisconsin-Madison Agriculture & Applied Economics Staff Paper Series. 2006. (Full report of study summarized here.)
Full study available here.
The River Alliance of Wisconsin recognized the need to provide managers and dam owners with tools to help determine whether sediments need to be carefully managed during a dam removal. Partnering with scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and tapping into Wisconsin’s extensive experience with dam removals, the organization designed a year-long study to survey historic sediment movement and stabilization of sediments in former impoundments.
This report summarizes the findings on sediment movement across 16 small dam removals spanning fifty years in Wisconsin. The study found that:
- In general, dam removal results in a 2- to 10-time increase in the amount of suspended sediment that animals in the river normally experience in a given year;
- Most of the sediment in the former pond is lost soon after the dam is removed, generally within the first month to the first year. Much of this sediment may mobilize during the actual dam removal activities;
- Vegetation established quickly on sediments that remained in place and may further stabilize them during high river flows.
Report (pdf)
Report Appendix (pdf)
Funding:
The River Alliance assists interested citizens, citizen groups, local officials and others in finding the financial and technical support necessary to restore or protect their beloved river. The following resources have been compiled to help point you in the right direction.
Frequently Asked Questions:
While each river and dam situation has its own unique set of characteristics, there are strong similarities in the questions that tend to arise. For your dam and community, be prepared to address the top ten most common concerns raised in communities considering dam removal.
Publications:
People across the United States and around the world are facing the issue of what to do about dams that no longer make sense. Dams may be candidates for removal for a variety of reasons: they may be old, unsafe, uneconomical or their environmental costs outweigh their economic benefits. Click here for additional resources and publications.
Laws & Regulations
WI Dams Portal
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