Across Northeastern US Long-Lost Ecosystems Are Returning
- Editor OGN Daily
- 7 hours ago
- 1 min read
Rivers that were once blocked by outdated dams are now running freely again, and the results are remarkable.
As reported by Yale Environment 360, hundreds of small, obsolete dams have been removed across the Northeast, a region once teeming with free-flowing rivers. Many of these dams, originally built for industries that no longer exist, have been crumbling for decades, posing safety hazards and disrupting natural water systems.
Conservation groups, local governments, and private landowners are stepping up to dismantle these barriers, allowing rivers to heal themselves naturally. The effects are immediate and dramatic, as long-lost ecosystems result in fish migrating in record numbers, and local residents reconnect with revitalized waterways in ways they never imagined.
In some cases, residents didn't even realize their local stream was once dammed until they saw how swiftly the waterway came back to life. "We generally see streams recover to a point where we didn't even know there was a dam there," says Jeremy Dietrich, an aquatic ecologist at the New York State Water Resources Institute.
Scientists have reported fish species like alewives, shad, and even the endangered Atlantic sturgeon surging upstream to return in numbers unseen for generations. Better yet, dam removal isn't just an ecological victory - it's a win for people, too.
Free-flowing rivers mean reduced flooding risks, improved water quality, and new recreational opportunities like kayaking and fishing. Towns with dam removal projects are already seeing economic benefits, with waterfronts transforming into community gathering spaces rather than stagnant, debris-filled ponds.