Services

Category

Dam Removal and Restoration

Description

RDG has a strong track record of completing large dam removal projects on some of the highest profile rivers in the United States. Dams which once served multiple purposes including water storage, diversion, and power generation either are no longer viable, are safety hazards, or the economic and environmental costs they incur have exceeded their societal benefit. RDG is collaborating with a host of stakeholders to remove relict dams that disrupt geomorphic processes and impact fish passage for federally-listed fish species. Removal of these dams is expected to benefit fish species, water quality, and provide new recreational opportunities for local communities.  

 Notable rivers that we have assisted or lead the efforts for dam removal and restoration include: Clark Fork River ( assisted the State of Montana with the Milltown Dam Removal Project and the Clark Fork River Restoration Plan), Rogue River (Gold Hill, Gold Ray, and Savage Rapids dams), Klamath River ( assisting on the EIS team lead by CDM to evaluate fish passage alternatives for the four dam complex spanning the California-Oregon border), Calapooia River ( Brownsville, Sodom, and Shearer dams) and Sprague River (Chiloquin Dam).

Included Services

  • Project management and planning
  • Removal alternatives analysis
  • Topographic surveys and remote sensing analysis
  • Hydraulic modeling for existing and post-removal conditions
  • Sediment transport modeling
  • Dewatering, temporary fish passage, and BMP designs
  • Local, state, and federal project permitting
  • Construction stakeout and construction administration
  • Post-removal river corridor restoration and monitoring        

Related Projects

Related Content

  • Clark Fork River flows into new channel in life after Milltown Dam
    By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian, December 16, 2010 - MILLTOWN - Finally, the Clark Fork River can relax. After five years of being dammed, diverted, diked and dirtied, the big river got to flush away the final ghost of Milltown Dam on Thursday. [ View ]
  • Dam Removal For Dummies
    By Nick Neely - From the November 08, 2010 issue of High Country News - Up and down the West Coast, people are discovering the joy of dam removal: From 2007 to 2009, 11 came down in California, nine in Oregon, and five in Washington, mainly for the sake of salmon and steelhead restoration. Here are a few pointers on dam destruction, showing the late, but little-lamented, Gold Ray Dam, near Medford, Ore... [ View ]
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Project Images

Gold Hill Dam was comprised of two concrete wings that delayed fish passage due to excessive jump heights and water velocities. The dam was removed using hydraulic picks and standard excavators A sequence of structures on a restored meander of the Clark Fork River prior to flow activation Aerial view of the upper restoration reach on the Clark Fork River during spring runoff
Gold Hill Dam was comprised of two concrete wings that delayed fish passage due to excessive jump heights and water velocities.
A view of the Gold Hill Dam on the Rogue River prior to removal in 2008. The concrete dam spanned over 900 ft across the river. Gold Hill Dam was comprised of two concrete wings that delayed fish passage due to excessive jump heights and water velocities.
The dam was removed using hydraulic picks and standard excavators
The dam was removed using hydraulic picks and standard excavators. Broken concrete was loaded to dump trucks and hauled for disposal.
Aerial view showing partial removal of the Chiloquin Dam removed from the Sprague River in 2008.
A sequence of structures on a restored meander of the Clark Fork River prior to flow activation
A sequence of structures on a restored meander of the Clark Fork River prior to flow activation.
Aerial view of the upper restoration reach on the Clark Fork River during spring runoff
Aerial view of the upper restoration reach on the Clark Fork River during spring runoff.