Cost Estimating Guidelines for Dam Decommissioning Alternative

Project ID: 21084
Principal Investigator: Jennifer Bountry
Research Topic: Sediment Management and River Restoration
Funded Fiscal Years: 2021 and 2022
Keywords: None

Research Question

This project will develop a cost estimating guideline for dam removals by drawing upon Reclamation and partner dam removal experience. This guidance will not only benefit staff performing technical consultations on dam removals and low-head dam modifications but will also contribute to dam safety alternative analyses that require dam removal as one possible solution.

Need and Benefit

This proposal addresses a need to "Develop more cost-effective methods for removing sediment in reservoirs to maintain or increase lost storage" by providing a method to estimate costs for considering dam removal as an alternative to mitigation and repairs.There are currently no available guidelines for estimating the cost of a dam removal or even the range of potential costs. Each site has to be individually assessed and there is no database or available information to compare to.

Contributing Partners

Contact the Principal Investigator for information about partners.

Research Products

Please contact research@usbr.gov about research products related to this project.

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Last Updated: 6/22/20