List of dam removals in New York

The 2023 demolition of the Indian Rapids Dam on the Saranac River in Plattsburgh.

This is a list of dams in New York that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.

Removals by watershed

Delaware River

The 6-foot (1.8 m) tall Cuddebackville Dam on the Neversink River, a tributary of the Delaware River, was built in two portions dating from the 1820s (for water diversion into a canal) and 1915 (for hydroelectric power). The dam had been abandoned since 1945, and was removed in October 2004 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in a novel partnership with the Nature Conservancy. The removal benefited aquatic life in the area, specifically the Dwarf Wedge Mussel and the American Shad. The dam was said to be the first in New York to be removed solely for environmental reasons.[1][2]

Saranac River

In 2023 two dams were removed from the lower Saranac River in Plattsburgh: Indian Rapids Dam and Fredenburgh Falls Dam. Funding to support the project flowed from multiple streams: $536,000 from Patriot Hydro, $175,000 from the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, $65,000 from New York State Electric and Gas, and $370,000 from the Lake Champlain Basin Program (made possibly by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law by President Biden in 2021).[3]

Completed removals

Dam[4] Height Year removed Location Watercourse Watershed
Chubb River Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2013 Lake Placid
44°16′46″N 73°58′49″W / 44.2794°N 73.9803°W / 44.2794; -73.9803 (Chubb River Dam) 		Chubb River Ausable River
Lake Placid Village Dam 19 ft (5.8 m) 2014 Lake Placid
44°16′31″N 73°58′42″W / 44.2753°N 73.9784°W / 44.2753; -73.9784 (Lake Placid Village Dam)
Ausable Quarry Dam (Notch House Dam)[5] 3 ft (0.91 m) (est.)[5] 2016 Lake Placid
44°18′14″N 73°55′27″W / 44.3039°N 73.9242°W / 44.3039; -73.9242 (Ausable Quarry Dam) 		West Branch Ausable River
Rome Dam[5] 37 ft (11 m) 2018 Au Sable Forks
44°26′24″N 73°42′20″W / 44.44°N 73.7055°W / 44.44; -73.7055 (Rome Dam)
Saw Mill Dam 9 ft (2.7 m) 2015 Willsboro
44°21′59″N 73°23′29″W / 44.3664°N 73.3914°W / 44.3664; -73.3914 (Saw Mill Dam) 		Boquet River Boquet River
Crowningshield Dam 7 ft (2.1 m) 2008 Lewis, Essex County
44°19′49″N 73°32′48″W / 44.3303°N 73.5467°W / 44.3303; -73.5467 (Crowningshield Dam) 		North Branch Boquet River
Cold Brook Dam 4 ft (1.2 m) 2022 Willsboro
44°19′29″N 73°28′38″W / 44.3247°N 73.4773°W / 44.3247; -73.4773 (Cold Brook Dam) 		Cold Brook
American Legion Pool Dam 4 ft (1.2 m) 2007 Norwich
42°32′04″N 75°32′06″W / 42.5344°N 75.5351°W / 42.5344; -75.5351 (American Legion Pool Dam) 		Canasawacta Creek Chenango River
Earl's Pond Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2011 Madison County
42°51′20″N 75°39′48″W / 42.8555°N 75.6633°W / 42.8555; -75.6633 (Earl's Pond Dam) 		Eaton Brook
Oriskany Falls Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2018 Oriskany
42°55′16″N 75°28′47″W / 42.9211°N 75.4797°W / 42.9211; -75.4797 (Oriskany Falls Dam) 		Tributary to Oriskany Creek
Luxton Lake Dam[6] 1983 Tusten
41°35′24″N 75°00′42″W / 41.59°N 75.0117°W / 41.59; -75.0117 (Luxton Lake Dam) 		Tenmile River Delaware River
Cuddebackville Dam 5 ft (1.5 m) 2004 Godeffroy
41°28′07″N 74°36′47″W / 41.4685°N 74.6131°W / 41.4685; -74.6131 (Cuddebackville Dam) 		Neversink River
Bear Brook Lower Dam 2020 Delaware
41°58′01″N 75°17′35″W / 41.967°N 75.293°W / 41.967; -75.293 (Bear Brook Lower Dam) 		Bear Brook
Lower Little Pond Dam 2008 Andes
42°02′13″N 74°44′34″W / 42.0369°N 74.7428°W / 42.0369; -74.7428 (Lower Little Pond Dam) 		Tributary to Beaver Kill
Pike Dam 2021 Pike
42°33′24″N 78°09′18″W / 42.5566°N 78.155°W / 42.5566; -78.155 (Pike Dam) 		Wiscoy Creek Genesee River
Fort Edward Dam 31 ft (9.4 m) 1973 Fort Edward
43°16′06″N 73°35′48″W / 43.2684°N 73.5967°W / 43.2684; -73.5967 (Fort Edward Dam) 		Hudson River Hudson River
Breakneck Brook Dam 18 ft (5.5 m) 2011 Putnam County
41°26′56″N 73°57′46″W / 41.4488°N 73.9628°W / 41.4488; -73.9628 (Breakneck Brook Dam) 		Breakneck Brook
Shapp Pond Dam 12 ft (3.7 m) 2016 Dutchess County
41°48′45″N 73°45′32″W / 41.8125°N 73.7589°W / 41.8125; -73.7589 (Shapp Pond Dam) 		East Branch Wappinger Creek
Furnace Brook Barrier #1 4.75 ft (1.45 m) 2020 Cortlandt
41°13′51″N 73°55′07″W / 41.2307°N 73.9185°W / 41.2307; -73.9185 (Furnace Brook Barrier #1) 		Furnace Brook
May's Field Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2020 Washingtonville
41°25′35″N 74°09′48″W / 41.4265°N 74.1634°W / 41.4265; -74.1634 (May's Field Dam) 		Moodna Creek
Curry Pond Dam 3 ft (0.91 m) Garrison
41°20′39″N 73°56′37″W / 41.3441°N 73.9437°W / 41.3441; -73.9437 (Curry Pond Dam) 		Tributary to Hudson River
Strook's Felt Factory Dam 4 ft (1.2 m) 2020 Newburgh
41°29′27″N 74°01′03″W / 41.4908°N 74.0176°W / 41.4908; -74.0176 (Strook's Felt Factory Dam) 		Quassaic Creek
Nicholson Road Dam 2019 East Fishkill
41°31′41″N 73°41′14″W / 41.5281°N 73.6871°W / 41.5281; -73.6871 (Nicholson Road Dam) 		Tributary to Stump Pond Stream
Lower Chia Lin Dam 2021 Stormville
41°31′54″N 73°43′27″W / 41.5316°N 73.7243°W / 41.5316; -73.7243 (Lower Chia Lin Dam) 		Leetown Brook
Wynantskill Dam (Hudson Valley Fuel Dam) 2016 Troy
42°42′19″N 73°41′56″W / 42.7053°N 73.6989°W / 42.7053; -73.6989 (Wynantskill Dam (Hudson Valley Fuel Dam)) 		Wynants Kill
William Miaski Dam 13.5 ft (4.1 m) 2010 Stephentown
42°32′06″N 73°25′06″W / 42.535°N 73.4183°W / 42.535; -73.4183 (William Miaski Dam) 		Tributary to Kinderhook Creek
Jansen Road Dam 20.5 ft (6.2 m) 2011 New Paltz
41°43′41″N 74°05′56″W / 41.7281°N 74.0989°W / 41.7281; -74.0989 (Jansen Road Dam) 		Tributary to Wallkill River
LaSalle Dam 40 ft (12 m) 2010 Altona
44°52′48″N 73°39′23″W / 44.8799°N 73.6563°W / 44.8799; -73.6563 (LaSalle Dam) 		Great Chazy River Lake Champlain
Petro Dam (Lower Mill Brook Dam) 2015 Moriah
44°02′55″N 73°28′29″W / 44.0487°N 73.4747°W / 44.0487; -73.4747 (Petro Dam (Lower Mill Brook Dam)) 		Mill Brook
Smith Mills Dam 19 ft (5.8 m) 2020 Chautauqua County
42°30′13″N 79°06′13″W / 42.5037°N 79.1035°W / 42.5037; -79.1035 (Smith Mills Dam) 		Silver Creek Lake Erie
Harrison's Pond Dam 2010 Kings Park
40°53′37″N 73°13′41″W / 40.8936°N 73.2281°W / 40.8936; -73.2281 (Harrison's Pond Dam) 		Tributary to Nissequogue River Long Island Sound
Gray Reservoir Dam 34 ft (10 m) 2002 Cold Brook
43°15′17″N 74°55′39″W / 43.2547°N 74.9276°W / 43.2547; -74.9276 (Gray Reservoir Dam) 		Black Creek Mohawk River
Remington Arms Company Dam (English Street Dam) 13 ft (4.0 m) 2020 Ilion
43°00′26″N 75°02′28″W / 43.0072°N 75.0412°W / 43.0072; -75.0412 (Remington Arms Company Dam (English Street Dam)) 		Steele Creek
Upper Crown Mill Dam 2008 Marcellus
42°59′06″N 76°20′10″W / 42.9849°N 76.3361°W / 42.9849; -76.3361 (Upper Crown Mill Dam) 		Ninemile Creek Oswego River
Gaynor Dam (The State Dam) 2012 Fayetteville
43°01′57″N 76°00′50″W / 43.0324°N 76.0139°W / 43.0324; -76.0139 (Gaynor Dam (The State Dam)) 		Limestone Creek
M Seeman Dam 40 ft (12 m) 2012 Pompey
42°56′07″N 75°57′46″W / 42.9353°N 75.9628°W / 42.9353; -75.9628 (M Seeman Dam) 		West Branch of Limestone Creek
Hillburn Reservoir Dam 22 ft (6.7 m) 2012 Hillburn
41°07′33″N 74°11′00″W / 41.1258°N 74.1834°W / 41.1258; -74.1834 (Hillburn Reservoir Dam) 		Tributary to Ramapo River Passaic River
Eagle Lake Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2012 Tuxedo
41°09′12″N 74°14′17″W / 41.1532°N 74.2381°W / 41.1532; -74.2381 (Eagle Lake Dam) 		Tributary to Summit Brook
Fort Covington Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2009 Fort Covington
44°59′23″N 74°29′46″W / 44.9897°N 74.496°W / 44.9897; -74.496 (Fort Covington Dam) 		Salmon River Salmon River
Indian Rapids Dam[3] 8 ft (2.4 m) 2023 Plattsburgh
44°40′30″N 73°29′16″W / 44.6750°N 73.4879°W / 44.6750; -73.4879 (Indian Rapids Dam) 		Saranac River Saranac River
Fredenburgh Falls Dam[3] 2023 Plattsburgh
44°40′09″N 73°29′38″W / 44.6692°N 73.4940°W / 44.6692; -73.4940 (Fredenburgh Falls Dam)
Hogansburg Dam 12 ft (3.7 m) 2016 Hogansburg
44°58′27″N 74°39′55″W / 44.9742°N 74.6652°W / 44.9742; -74.6652 (Hogansburg Dam) 		St. Regis River St. Regis River
Fowler Finch Dam 16 ft (4.9 m) 2011 North Franklin
42°18′39″N 75°14′18″W / 42.3108°N 75.2384°W / 42.3108; -75.2384 (Fowler Finch Dam) 		Tributary to Carrs Creek Susquehanna River
Chenango 7 Wildlife Pond Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2015 Bainbridge
42°21′50″N 75°32′16″W / 42.3638°N 75.5379°W / 42.3638; -75.5379 (Chenango 7 Wildlife Pond Dam) 		Tributary to Kelsey Creek
Sidney Reservoir Dam 20 ft (6.1 m) 2018 Bainbridge
42°19′47″N 75°25′29″W / 42.3297°N 75.4247°W / 42.3297; -75.4247 (Sidney Reservoir Dam) 		Peckham Brook
Broome Corporate Park Pond Dam #1 14 ft (4.3 m) 2011 Conklin
42°02′25″N 75°48′33″W / 42.0403°N 75.8092°W / 42.0403; -75.8092 (Broome Corporate Park Pond Dam #1) 		Tributary to Susquehanna River
West Winfield Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2011 Winfield
42°52′56″N 75°11′28″W / 42.8821°N 75.191°W / 42.8821; -75.191 (West Winfield Dam) 		Unadilla River
Karpel Dam 14 ft (4.3 m) 2012 Tioga County
42°07′27″N 76°20′50″W / 42.1241°N 76.3472°W / 42.1241; -76.3472 (Karpel Dam) 		Tributary to Pipe Creek

References

  1. ^ Urbina, Ian (September 22, 2004). "Dam Builder Tries New Role: Dam Breaker". The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2009.
  2. ^ "The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Team Up to Demolish Dam". Archived from the original on November 29, 2008. Retrieved November 23, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c Macdonald, Bridget (August 30, 2023). "Removal of two dams on the lower Saranac River marks milestone for Atlantic salmon restoration in Lake Champlain basin". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  4. ^ "American Rivers Dam Removal Database". Figshare. American Rivers. February 13, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Longmire, Stephen (August 17, 2018). "Mystery Dam". www.ausableriver.org. Ausable River Association. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  6. ^ "Luxton Lake/Ten Mile River - Narrowsburg, NY". scenicwilddelawareriver.com. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
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