American Rivers

Stream Barrier Removal Grants Program

McCormick Taylor has recently entered into a Master Service Agreement with the nationwide organization American Rivers to pursue river and floodplain restoration, including dam removal. American Rivers subsequently announced the availability of $700,000 in Stream Barrier Removal Grants in association with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This program provides funding for the removal of stream barriers harmful to diadromous fish such as alewives, or those that use both marine and freshwater habitats during their life cycle. This program represents a critical opportunity for watershed groups, civic organizations, municipalities, and government agencies to initiate dam removal projects. The deadline for 2010 Stream Barrier Removal Grants is December 18, 2009. While additional funds are available following this deadline, the Stream Barrier Removal Grants program represents a great way for a dam removal project to be realized.

McCormick Taylor can assist with all phases of dam removal from the original solicitation of grants, dam removal design, public relations, permitting, construction oversight, and post-removal monitoring. Dams modify the natural flow regime, block the transport of organisms and sediment in a river, and in some cases may be a liability to landowners by creating a drowning hazard or the potential for flash flooding, among other things. Most of the dams that have been removed in the past are smaller (less than 15 feet tall) and no longer serve the purpose for which they were designed. Despite common belief, most of these dams fail to provide flood prevention and by properly coordinating their removal, sediment migration to downstream reaches can be minimized. Removing dams can be a cost-effective way for watershed goals to be achieved. The removal of dams has also been used for compensatory mitigation for roadway improvement and construction projects.

For more information about the initiation of dam removal projects, please contact David Griffin in our Baltimore office at 410-662-7400 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .