CHALLENGE: Many small dams have outlived their usefulness and are considered liabilities rather than assets. However, removing dams can release sediment and affect downstream ecosystems, which can be a particular concern in rivers with imperiled species.
RESPONSE: The Georgia Department of Transportation is supporting a team at UGA to study the physical and ecological effects that could come from removing Garwood Dam, a small dam on a tributary of the Etowah River that is slated for removal in 2027.
TEAM: The research team includes Rhett Jackson, Jay Shelton, Wesley Gerrin and Sarah McNair of the Warnell School; Jon Calabria of the College of Environment and Design; and Seth Wenger, Phillip Bumpers, and Emily Chalfin of the Odum School of Ecology.
CONTACT: For more information, contact Seth Wenger (swenger@uga.edu).
