PLT41 - Unlocking Insights: Assessing State Approaches to Dam Removal

Abstract Description: As dams across the U.S. age and their risks grow, states play a critical role in determining their future—whether through enhanced safety measures, regulatory oversight, or removal. However, approaches to dam management vary widely, influenced by state policies, funding mechanisms, and program capacity. This presentation examines how state-led dam safety and removal programs intersect, highlighting key trends, challenges, and opportunities in shaping the evolving dam landscape.

State dam safety programs are often underfunded and understaffed, struggling to inspect and regulate aging infrastructure effectively. While large, high-hazard dams receive the most attention, many smaller structures remain unmonitored, posing public safety and environmental risks. Additionally, “hazard creep” due to downstream development increases the stakes for inadequate classification and oversight. At the same time, momentum for dam removal is growing, with states developing diverse strategies to facilitate decommissioning projects. Regulatory and legislative changes in some states have strengthened dam safety programs while simultaneously promoting removal where it is the safest and most beneficial option.

Through a comparative analysis of state-led initiatives, we have identified best practices and innovative approaches to integrating dam safety and removal into comprehensive water infrastructure policies. By exploring case studies of successful regulatory and programmatic reforms, we offer insights into how states can enhance public safety, environmental resilience, and community benefits. Policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders will leave with a deeper understanding of how targeted improvements in state programs can better address the challenges of aging dams and the opportunities for sustainable river restoration.