When Cutting Dam Losses Just Makes Cents

Sometimes removing a dam is a better “fix” than repair. Listen up:

Removing old dams saves money, revitalizes communities, and restores rivers (via Brian Graber/American Rivers)

Let’s start with the good news. Thousands of dams across the U.S. harness rivers to reap a variety of goods and services. And here’s the economic but: As those dams age, their owners can face significant repair or maintenance costs.

Brian Graber of the nonprofit American Rivers says when this happens, many owners find that it makes better financial sense to remove the dam instead of fixing it.

For one thing, he explains that there can be funding available for dam removal that isn’t usually available for dam repair.

Why the preferential funding treatment? Removing a dam creates another kind of public resource. By restoring a river’s flow, removal can revitalize community riverfronts and boost local fishing and boating industries—fixes many of us can appreciate.