Dock Street Dam Alternatives Analysis
Understanding the Future of the Susquehanna River
The Dock Street Dam is a highly dangerous lowhead dam on the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, that has caused dozens of fatalities and continues to pose an ongoing public safety hazard.
Dock Street Dam is classified as a lowhead dam and has been a persistent and predictable public safety hazard since it was constructed in 1913. American Rivers is calling for a formal feasibility study to evaluate the full removal of Dock Street Dam and provide public transparency about the dam’s high-risk profile and long-term liability to the community. The dam no longer serves its original purpose of creating a recreational pool and mitigating early 20th-century concerns such as odor and mosquito control. The dam also provides no meaningful modern needs such as flood control or power generation.
Public safety must be the priority, which is why we are asking for the engagement of state agencies, engineers, and river restoration experts to assess removal pathways and develop a clear timeline toward removal if the feasibility study confirms that removal is a viable option.
Why is American Rivers seeking to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate the full removal of Dock Street Dam?
Dock Street Dam is a persistent and predictable public safety hazard. Low head dams can pose outsized risks to public safety. The structures are designed to allow water to continuously flow over the crest of the dam, which can create a washing-machine-like hydraulic at the base of the dam. This hydraulic, often called a “drowning machine,” can trap and hold swimmers, paddlers, and even rescuers underwater. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, despite decades of public awareness efforts, posted warning signs, and buoys, fatalities continue.
5 Benefits of Removing Dock Street Dam
Removing Dock Street Dam would:
- Eliminate the drowning hazard caused by this lowhead dam.
- Reduce long-term municipal liability and emergency response costs.
- Restore natural river flow and improve fish passage.
- Align with statewide and national dam removal trends focused on safety and ecosystem restoration.
- Maintain recreational opportunities in a safer, free-flowing river system.
Low-head dams nationwide remain one of the leading causes of dam-related drowning deaths. When a structure has caused repeated, preventable loss of life and no longer serves a critical public function, responsible governance requires decisive action.
We Want to Hear From You
At this time, American Rivers is accepting community comments on your personal experience with Dock Street Dam and surrounding areas.