Andy Selle. Dam Removal A Primer

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Morgan Freeman
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1 Andy Selle Dam Removal A Primer

2 Dams in the United States ~ 2.5 million dams in the US ~ 99,000+ small dams (<10m) Death by a Thousand Cuts >700 dams have been removed in the US

3 Dams in United States 85% of Dams will be at their 50 YR design life in <10 ft ft ft ft 100+ ft # Dams Built Year

100+ ft 2500 0 1800 1810 1820 1830 1840 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890

4 Presentation Outline Dam Removal Economics Impoundment Sediment Stakeholder Involvement Alternatives and Cost Analysis Post Removal Restoration

5 Dam Removal Economics Repair vs. Removal Comparison Design and Construction Costs Property Values Recreational Economics

6 Estimated Removal Dam (removal date) Repair ($) Cost ($) % Less Lake Christopher Dam, CA (1994) 160, ,000 38% Edwards Dam, ME (1999) 9,000,000 2,100,000 77% Grist Mill Dam, ME (1998) 150,000 56,000 63% Sandstone Dam, MN (1995) 1,000, ,000 79% Two-Mile Dam, NM (1994) 4,100,000 3,200,000 22% Rat Lake Dam, WA (1989) 261,000 52,000 80% Waterworks Dam, WI (1998) 694, ,770 69% Mounds Dam, WI (1998) 3,300, ,000 85% Newport No.11 Dam, VT (1996) 783, ,000 30% Includes costs for repair or required fish passage Using low-end estimates for repair Removal is 60% less than Repair, on average Repair vs. Removal Cost

WA (1989) 261,000 52,000 80% Waterworks Dam, WI (1998) 694,600 213,770 69% Mounds Dam, WI (1998) 3,300,000 500,000 85% Newport No.

7 Estimate Costs Based on Project Complexity for: Feasibility -- Design -- Construction

8 Phase Range Mean n Feasibility $9, ,000 $106, Design $9, ,000 $88, Construction $6, ,000 $114, Mean total cost = $296,000 Source NOAA Fisheries, Dam removals in NE over last 10 years

$6,500-720,000 $114,000 20 Mean total cost = $296,000

9 Dam Removal Costs : Project Specific $30-60/CY for concrete demo and haul off $5-20,000 for dewatering $5-20/CY for excavation $100-$400 / LF for Active Channel Restoration

10 Cost by Height Based on 9 years of removals in PA Dam height (ft) Cost range Median Cost 1-3 $1,500 95,000 $17, , ,000 38, , ,000 45, , ,000 70, , , ,000 Source: American Rivers

5,000 300,000 38,500 7-9 3,200 187,000 45,651 10-15 50,000

11 Property Values Provencher, B.; Sarakinos, H.; and Meyer, T Does small dam removal affect local property values? An empirical analysis. Contemporary Economic Policy 26(2): Lewis, L.; Bohlen, C.; and Wilson, S Dams, dam removal, and river restoration: A hedonic property value analysis. Contemporary Economic Policy 26(2): Properties near dams have lower value than similar properties further away Before dam removal, purchasers willing to pay $2,000 more to be at least ½-mile away from dam Following dam removal, purchasers willing to pay $134 more to be at least ½-mile away from former dam site No statistical impact of dam removal on resale values of waterfront properties relative to properties on intact impoundments

Properties near dams have lower value than similar properties further away Before dam removal, purchasers willing to pay $2,000 more to be at least ½-mile away from dam Following dam

12 Having a hard time revitalizing your downtown? You may want to consider knocking the dam down. --Wall Street Journal, October 18, 2000

13 Recreational Value: Fishing Anglers spend $38 billion annually on fishing Trout Unlimited estimates $108 billion when the ripple effect is considered Removal restores connectivity, opening new habitat areas for

14 Recreational Value: Boating Canoeing/kayaking $100 million annual sales Kayaking is among fastest growing outdoor activities Finding free-flowing stretches is a challenge regional scarcity can increase economic value Kickapoo River, WI Following Ontario Dam removal (early 1990s) Non-local canoeists now spend $1.2 million per year on boat rentals, lodging, gas, and other items in economically depressed area Baraboo River, WI After 3 recent dam removals near downtown Baraboo: New business is supplying boat shuttles per weekend day in summer

(early 1990s) Non-local canoeists now spend $1.

15 Impoundment Sediment Estimate the pre-dam surface using DOR and survey Perform temporary drawdown if possible Divide sediment volume into mobile and immobile portions Perform Due Diligence on Contamination

possible Divide sediment volume into mobile and

19 Source: Doyle et al. 2003

20 Parameter Screening Benchmarks Dam Impoundment Dstrm Ustrm Impoundment Samples Sample Sample Sample Statistics (Important: Units listed by category below) MCP S1 / GW1 TEC PEC TEL PEL S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 Min Max Mean Human Health Freshwater (1) Marine (2) Metals [mg/kg] Antimony 20.0 NC NC 0 0 Arsenic Cadmium Chromium (TOTAL) Copper NC Lead Mercury Nickel Silver NC NC Zinc 2, SVOCs (PAHs)[ug/kg] Total PAHs 1, , , , Pesticides (ug/kg) 0 0 2,4'-DDT NC NC NC BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL 0 0 4,4'-DDT 3,000.0 NC NC BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL 0 0 Sum DDT BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL 0 0 Total DDTs BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL 0 0 PCBs (ug/kg) 0 0 Total PCBs 2, BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL 0 0 VOCs (mg/kg) 0 0 Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) 0.1 NC NC BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL 0 0 Benzene 2.0 NC NC BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL 0 0 Toluene BDL BDL BDL BDL BDL 0 0 Physical Characterisitcs Total Organic Carbon (mg/kg Dry Weight) BDL Percent Water (%) Grain Size Distribution % Gravel % Sand % Clay

4935 2.8 0.4935 0.4935 0.5 2.8 1.3 Chromium (TOTAL) 30.0 43.4 111.0 52.3 160.4 2.465 2.465 235 2.465 2.465 2.5 235.0 80.0 Copper NC 31.6 149.0 18.7 108.2 2.465 2.465 286 2.465 2.465 2.5 286.0 97.

21 Stakeholder Involvement Occurs in the Feasibility Stage Real Information is Critical Visual Concepts Focus Group Discussions

26 Design overview Performance criteria Improve fish habitat Restore stream Patient access No increase in flooding

30 Existing Conditions

31 Proposed Conditions

32 Alternatives and Cost Analysis Repair Partial Removal Full Removal Full Removal Active Restoration Full Removal Passive Restoration Repair and Fishway

35 Post-Removal Restoration 2 Paths to the Same End = Restored Channel Active Restoration accelerates the process of channel and habitat formation BUT adds anywhere from $100-$400 / LF of restored channel Passive Restoration allows the stream to restore itself, a much cheaper option BUT can take decades or centuries to complete

36 Active Restoration

39 Upper Mill Creek 1998 Headwaters Flow

41 After 3 years

42 Passive Restoration

51 Which Approach? Active vs. Passive Channel Recovery ACTIVE PASSIVE Impoundment Mat l: Cohesive Non-cohesive Sediment Quantity Full Impoundment Channel Maintained Sediment Quality Contaminated Clean Impoundment Width Bankfull Width >>10 <10 Budget Substantial Tight / Fixed T & E Species Present Absent Downstream Channel Condition Intact Degraded

52 Summary Understand Site Complexity Plan a Budget Accordingly Complete Due Diligence on Impoundment Sediment Identify and Understand Unique Site Design Challenges Understand Post-removal Restoration Options Provide Tangible, Factual Information to Stakeholders

53 Economic Implications Active vs. Passive Channel Recovery Active Recovery Estimate Item Unit Unit Cost Quantity Total Cost Dam Demolition LS $20,000 1 $20,000 Channel Design LS $150,000 1 $150,000 Excavation CY $15 10,000 $150,000 Channel Construction LF $ $300,000 Seeding and Tree Planting ACRE $4, $200,000 Invasive Control ACRE $ $25,000 Grand Total: $845,000 Passive Recovery Estimate Item Unit Unit Cost Quantity Total Cost Dam Demolition LS $20,000 1 $20,000 Seeding and Tree Planting ACRE $4, $200,000 ***Active Recovery approximately 2-4X cost of Passive Recovery*** Invasive Control ACRE $ $25,000 Grand Total: $245,000

Stream Monitoring at Tumacácori NHP

Stream Monitoring at Tumacácori NHP Santa Cruz River Researcher s Day Tucson Community Service Center March 27 2009 Presented by E.L.Gwilliam Overview why, what, where, when and how Stream Protocol Importance