My Selected Stories About Dams

Calls to Rethink the Colorado River’s Iconic Dams Grow Louder

With two major reservoirs on the Colorado River, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, sitting half empty, will a new hydrologic reality be enough to push for big management changes? One conservation group hopes so … (READ MORE)

What We’re Learning Before the World’s Largest Dam-Removal Project — and What We Could Miss

Scientists studying conditions on the Klamath River hope to help recovery efforts here and around the world, but they still lack dedicated funding … (READ MORE)

The Elwha’s Living Laboratory: Lessons From the World’s Largest Dam-Removal Project

Two dams removed from Washington’s Elwha River were branded as salmon-restoration projects, but their watershed and scientific impacts are just as significant … (READ MORE)

How Removing One Maine Dam 20 Years Ago Changed Everything

The removal of the Edwards Dam on Maine’s Kennebec River helped river conservationists reimagine what’s possible … (READ MORE)

Dam Accounting: Taking Stock of Methane Emissions From Reservoirs

Mounting studies highlight greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs, and now a coalition of environmental groups has called for regulatory action … (READ MORE)

Our Last, Best Chance to Save Atlantic Salmon

Atlantic salmon are perilously close to extinction in the United States. Taking down a few dams could go a long way to aiding their recovery, experts say … (READ MORE)

Are We Ready to Kiss Our Big Dams Goodbye?

It may be that our love affair with big infrastructure has cooled … (READ MORE)

Klamath Countdown: Researchers Hustle Before Largest Dam-Removal Project Begins

To anticipate the impacts of a historic river restoration, we need to understand how salmon, bats, insects, algae and other parts of the ecosystem are behaving today. … (READ MORE)

This Unsung Aquatic Hero Could Get a Big Boost From Dam Removals

Freshwater mussels are some of the most imperiled species in North America. Experts say we can change that by rethinking our infrastructure … (READ MORE)

Europe’s Surprising Record of Dam Removals

A growing movement across the continent is working to remove thousands of barriers and restore some of the world’s most fragmented rivers. … (READ MORE)

Is New England’s Biggest Renewable Energy Project Really a Win for the Climate?

A plan to import hydropower from Canada to Massachusetts begs the question of whether big hydro along with its reservoirs and dams, is green enough to be worth the cost … (READ MORE)

Promise or Peril? Importing Hydropower to Fuel the Clean Energy Transition

U.S. states hope to tap Canada’s network of large dams to meet low-carbon goals, but do better options exist closer to home? … (READ MORE)

United States Includes Dam Emissions in UN Climate Reporting for the First Time

Better accounting can go a long way in establishing sound policy to tackle the climate crisis. … (READ MORE)