So far this year one dam has been removed in Baraboo and at least seven more river segments across the state will be restored through selective dam removal this year, according to the River Alliance of Wisconsin. These restoration projects are all part of the River Alliance of Wisconsin's Twenty by 2000 campaign. One year ago, the statewide river conservation group announced their plan to work with communities across Wisconsin to restore twenty river segments through dam removal by the end of the year 2000. We know something today that we didn't three decades ago.
Dams devastate rivers.
When they understand all of the issues, many communities are now deciding that the best alternative for old, obsolete and uneconomical dams is to remove them. Stephanie Lindloff, small dams program manager for the River Alliance, pointed to the recent removal of the Waterworks Dam in Baraboo as evidence of how dam removal is a proven river restoration tool. Before the dam was removed the DNR did some fish shocking in the impoundment behind the dam. Last summer, only 18 months after the dam was removed, the DNR shocked fish again in the now free-flowing stretch of river. They found 24 species of fish, the dominant species was smallmouth bass and the water quality in the river has significantly improved.