Ramseur Dam Removal

Dam removal is one of the most powerful, cost-effective, and efficient tools there is to restore the health of rivers. A free-flowing river supports biodiversity, clean water supplies for communities, and recreation. Sadly, more than half a million dams block our nation’s waterways. Before its removal, Ramseur dam was among 28,000 inventoried dams in the state of North Carolina, many of them obsolete.  

The Ramseur dam was originally constructed in the early 1900s to power a sawmill and later the Columbia Manufacturing Company. Built largely of river rock, time had long since taken its toll: the gates on the dam were broken, water seeped through the structure, and rebar jutted out in places. It no longer produced hydropower or supported manufacturing.  

This is a story playing out across the country and likely in your community. Dams are aging, becoming unsafe, and adding liability to towns and even private owners. Nationally, experts estimate that 70 percent of dams have outlived their average design life. 

“Ramseur’s next chapter is about reconnecting—to the river, to each other, and to a broader vision of a restored Deep and Cape Fear River system flowing forward together,”

Lizzy Stokes-Cawley, associate director of conservation for American Rivers 

Removing a dam occurs in stages to protect the river’s health and is a construction feat.

Phase 1

Advance planning for a dam removal can take months—or even years. The process begins with detailed site assessments and data collection on both the dam and the river. In Ramseur’s case, planning started as early as 2023. During this phase, American Rivers also engages the local community to ensure residents understand the scope of the project and the benefits it can bring to the river and the town.

Phase 2

Once the groundwork is laid, engineering experts design a removal plan that prioritizes safety for construction workers, the river ecosystem, and nearby communities. Engineers evaluate key questions such as whether explosives are necessary, how much of the river must be temporarily diverted or blocked during construction, and how sediment and debris from the dam will be safely removed and disposed of.

Phase 3

Project partners coordinate with state and federal agencies throughout the life of the project—including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—to secure the required permits and ensure the project meets environmental and regulatory standards.

Then comes the fun part: Construction!

Heavy machinery, like excavators and hydraulic hammers, is mobilized to begin deconstructing the dam.   

A temporary causeway is built into the river channel to provide access for workers. 

Workers then break apart and remove the dam, piece by piece, all the way down to the natural riverbed. As the dam is taken apart, pieces of the dam are salvaged and strategically placed to fill scour holes and reshape the channel, restoring the river’s natural width and helping stabilize the riverbed as free-flowing conditions return. It is a really amazing site to see the first time a river runs free, especially after being blocked for a century!  

Once the dam has been removed and the site stabilized, native plants and seeds will be spread so that the ecosystem can fully recover.   

Key Benefits of the Dam Removal

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