Hetch Hetchy Reservoir 2014.
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir 2014 (CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain).

Discussing "Deadbeat Dams" as Klamath Plan Moves Forward

CWS Director Andrew Rypel provides valuable perspectives on California’s aging dams & highlights strategic paths that can shape the future of dam infrastructure.

  • by Christine A Parisek

Center for Watershed Sciences researchers continue to emphasize the need for California to reevaluate its dam management practices. By adopting a more thorough assessment of California’s existing dams, California would be prioritizing the safety of its residents, improving the economy, and better serving the environment. 

“California’s dams are aging and many will require expensive reconstruction or rehabilitation. Many dams were built for landscapes, climates, and economic purposes that no longer exist. California’s current dams reflect an accumulation of decisions over the past 170 years based on environmental, political, and socio-economic dynamics that have changed, sometimes radically.” – Rypel et al. 2020, What’s the problem with deadbeat dams?

During a recent discussion with the Institute of the Environment, Andrew Rypel, Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences and co-author of the original post, highlighted the continued significance of “deadbeat dams”. Including:

  1. Why should people be concerned with "deadbeat dams" in California?
  2. How could a California Dams Blue Ribbon Committee help people in the state?
  3. What are structured assessment tools, and how can they help solve issues surrounding deadbeat dams?
  4. How can progress be made in simplifying the complex legal issues surrounding dam removal?
  5. What is the potential for reservoirs to serve as novel habitat for declining fishes?

Read the discussion: Discussing “Deadbeat Dams” as Klamath Plan Moves Forward. Institute of the Environment. 2023.

Read the original post: What’s the dam problem with deadbeat dams? by Andrew Rypel, Christine Parisek, Jay Lund, Ann Willis, Peter Moyle, Sarah Yarnell, Karrigan Börk. 2020.

Map of the USA with red and gray points.
Map of all NID dams in the contiguous USA. Red circles represent dams classified in the NID as “high hazard” (i.e., the potential for dam failure or facilities misoperation to result in loss of human life, in addition to lower risk characteristics such as potential for economic and environmental losses. Does not speak to dam condition or failure risk.). Gray circles represent all other dams. Source: C.A. Parisek; https://californiawaterblog.com/2023/05/28/whats-the-dam-problem-with-deadbeat-dams/
A 12 panel histogram showing California on the left, USA on the right, for dam variables such as: Year Dam Completed, Dam Age, Reservoir Surface Area, Reservoir Maximum Discharge, Reservoir Storage (in 2 units).
Histograms describing characteristics of dams and reservoirs in the USA and California, as of the year 2020. All data are from the National Inventory of Dams database. Mean values in text boxes are non-log-transformed values. Year Dam Completed was cropped at >1750 for ease of viewing. Source: C.A. Parisek; https://californiawaterblog.com/2023/05/28/whats-the-dam-problem-with-deadbeat-dams/

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