Dam Owner Fact Sheet: Dam Removal

ASDSO Resources for Dam Owners and Operators: https://damsafety.org/dam-owners

There are more than 90,000 dams in the United States. Many of these dams continue to provide safe and reliable social and economic benefits, such as water supply, flood control, hydropower, and recreation. However, thousands of dams no longer serve a viable purpose or provide significant benefits. Many have exceeded the average life expectancy of a dam, become structurally unsound and unsafe to the public, and require costly repairs to bring them into compliance with state or federal safety regulations. All repairs are the responsibility of the dam owner. The cost to repair and rehabilitate a dam can exceed the owner’s financial abilities. Many dam owners choose to remove their dams to eliminate ongoing maintenance costs and public safety concerns and reduce financial and legal liability.