Searched for
MIDDLE FORK NOOKSACK DAM REMOVAL
In 2020, American Rivers removed the Middle Fork Nooksack dam after 50 years of blocking fish in Washington. 2 years later, the river reopened 16 miles of habitat for Chinook salmon and troutMiddle Fork Nooksack salmon habitat: A dam built in 1961 was removed in 2020, restoring river access. This action reopened sixteen miles of...
In 2017, Louisiana helped repair septic systems threatening the Amite River. 7 years later, 805 systems were fixed and 46.9 miles were removed from the bacteria listSignificant strides in water quality have stemmed from proactive home septic system inspections and educational initiatives. The Amite Rive...
In 2003, scientists targeted invasive fish in the Grand Canyon. By 2006, Rainbow Trout fell from 90% to less than 10% of the catchFor four consecutive years, scientists actively removed invasive fish species from the Colorado River. This strategic initiative led to a n...
In 2012, Indiana began protecting Flat Creek, a 54-mile stream affected by pollution. 10 years later, multiple stretches had recovered enough to be removed from the listFlat Creek in Indiana experienced significant water quality issues for years. A 2012 plan initiated watershed improvement efforts and best ...
In 2012, Indiana farmers adopted cover crops that helped stop 5,695 tons of soil from reaching waterways each year. 9 years later, Prairie Creek scored 50 and was removedPrairie Creek in Indiana was once impaired for aquatic communities. A watershed management plan implemented in 2012 led to significant impr...
In 1994, Idaho listed Rapid Creek for sediment after grazing added excess sediment. 20 years later, 3 reaches were delisted after BMPs improved habitat and water qualityRapid Creek in southeastern Idaho was listed for sediment impairment in 1994 after assessments found that several streams did not support c...
In 2024, four dams were removed from an American river. Over 400 miles of Salmon habitat reopened. Scientists are now watching an ecosystem rebuilding itselfFour hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River were removed in 2024. This project opened over 400 miles of historic salmon habitat. Indigenou...
In 2012, Jefferson County SWCD teamed up with local groups to restore Indian-Kentuck Creek. 12 years later, conservation work cut nitrogen pollution by 81,259 pounds a yearAgricultural best management practices improved water quality in the Brushy Fork subwatershed. Nutrient and phosphorus inputs were reduced,...
Maryland spent $12 million on a fish lift in 1991 to move American shad past Conowingo Dam; decades later, annual runs remained far below the 2 million-fish targetMaryland invested $12 million in a fish lift to help migrating shad overcome the Conowingo Dam. This technological solution proved ineffect...
In 2011, Arkansas prioritized Lake Conway-Point Remove to tackle pollution. 13 years later, Conway cut nitrogen 41% and phosphorus 44% with green infrastructure annuallyLake Conway-Point Remove story ultimately shows why the future of water-quality protection may depend on combining engineering with ecology...
In 1918–1921, one dam built on California's Carmel River provided water storage but blocked fish runs; in 2015 it came down, reopening 25 miles of habitat for steelhead troutA century-old dam on California's Carmel River was removed, restoring fish spawning grounds. Crews rerouted the river and dismantled the st...
In 1996, West Virginia's BRWA and WVWRI developed a plan to treat Swamp Run’s acid mine drainage. 28 years later, 2 projects had dramatically improved the stream’s pH with lasting gainsSwamp Run in Upshur County, West Virginia, faced decades of water quality problems caused by acid mine drainage from buried coal refuse lef...
In 1994, Idaho listed Rapid Creek for sediment impairment. 18 years later, restoration improved habitat scores and Lower Rapid Creek was removed from the 2012 impaired waters listRapid Creek in southeastern Idaho offers a compelling example of how long-term watershed restoration can transform water quality and aquati...
In 2002, Idaho listed the South Fork Palouse River as bacteria-impaired after livestock grazing. 14 years later, restoration helped remove it from the 2016 impaired listThe South Fork Palouse River restoration began with a problem Idaho could not ignore. In 2002, the river was listed as bacteria-impaired, w...
In 2016, NYSDEC and partners removed Shapp Pond Dam after 50 years of blocking migratory fish. 4 years later, restored habitat showed significant gains in stream health and wildlifeThe removal of the Shapp Pond Dam in Dutchess County, New York, helped restore aquatic connectivity and improve stream habitat along the Ea...
In 2021, Pat McElhenny led removal of a dam that had held back water for 100 years. 1 year later, the original Sterry Creek channel resurfaced intact, restoring a natural floodplain on Moosic MountainA 100-year-old dam came down on Moosic Mountain in Pennsylvania, but the real surprise appeared afterward. Sterry Creek’s original channel ...
In 1992, Congress authorized the removal of 2 dams that had blocked salmon for a century. 24 years later, the Elwha River once again flowed freely from the Olympic Mountains to the seaElwha River Restoration changed one of America’s most remarkable river recovery stories. Two dams once blocked salmon from reaching upstrea...
Four dams built on the Klamath River between 1918 and 1966 made power, not water storage; in 2024, the last came down, reopening 420 miles of salmon habitatIn a groundbreaking initiative, four dams on the Klamath River spanning California and Oregon have been dismantled after a century of exist...
In 2014, Maine began developing a fish elevator to carry American shad past Milford Dam. 12 years later, the system could reopen 600 miles of river habitat to a fish whose migration has been blocked for decadesA Maine fish elevator could reopen 600 miles of river habitat for alewives, giving a small fish a much bigger chance to return upstream. Th...
In 2012, PacifiCorp launched a trap-and-haul program to move adult salmon upstream past Merwin Dam. 14 years later, researchers found 2 stages in the system but 1 decisive bottleneck: young salmon failing to find the artificial current downstreamA trap-and-haul program on Washington’s Lewis River helps adult Chinook salmon bypass Merwin Dam by transporting them in trucks to upstream...