Campus Calendar

Dams significantly alter the flux of water and sediment through rivers resulting in hydrologic, geomorphic, and ecological changes. Large impoundment dams in the United States are ubiquitous and are aging, as most were built in the mid-20th Century. This has sparked a movement to remove dams, and most dam science in recent decades has focused on dam removal. However, many large dams are not slated for removal due to their importance for water supply, power generation, or flood mitigation. Thus, ongoing studies of dams are necessary to characterize their impact and to forecast dam dynamics for younger dams. In this talk, I will discuss hydrologic and geomorphic changes on three impounded rivers – the Des Moines River, IA, the Chattahoochee River, GA, and the Kennebec River, ME. Each river has a unique response to impoundment, influenced by its human and physical characteristics, including dam management strategies, the influence of climate change, and geomorphic setting. These varied results elucidate the ongoing hydrologic and geomorphic impact of large dams, especially in light of anthropogenic climate change that the dams were not designed to account for.