American Rivers
American Rivers has worked directly on more than 200 dam removals; in 2025 the U.S. removed 100 dams and reconnected more than 4,893 river miles (American Rivers).
SI-generated image by Saving Planets.
Last reviewed: 2 sources cited
Explain Like I'm 10
- American Rivers is a group that helps take out old dams that are not needed anymore.
- When a dam comes out, fish can swim up the river again.
- In 2025, 100 dams came out in the U.S., freeing almost 5,000 miles of river.
The Five W's of American Rivers
Who
American Rivers, a U.S. nonprofit that manages river restoration projects and trains others to do them.
What
Removing old dams, replacing culverts and restoring floodplains so rivers can flow and fish can move.
When
It helped launch the U.S. dam removal movement in 1999; 100 dams came out in 2025 alone.
Where
Rivers across the United States; 2025 removals happened in 30 states.
Why
Many of the more than 90,000 dams in the country no longer serve the purpose they were built for.
Impact Statement
Nonprofit solution · active
American Rivers has worked directly on more than 200 dam removals. In 2025, removals across the U.S. reconnected more than 4,893 miles of river, the most ever in one year, for 2,350 documented removals since 1912.
Source: American Rivers, 100 Dams Down: 2025
For Further Information: American Rivers, 100 Dams Down: 2025
In 2025 the U.S. removed 100 dams and reconnected more than 4,893 miles of river, a record.
How This Saves People & the Planet
For People
Removing outdated, unsafe dams improves public safety for the communities living below them.
Source: American Rivers, 100 Dams Down: 2025
For Nature
Taking out a dam is the fastest way to bring a river back to life, letting fish swim upstream and water flow freely again.
Support American Rivers
Want to go deeper? American Rivers has the full dam removal report.
For Further InformationRelated Solutions
More solutions like this one, matched by meaning.
For Teachers
Discussion questions
- What is American Rivers, and what problem does it help solve?
- Who is behind American Rivers, and where does the work happen?
- How does American Rivers help both people and nature? Use one fact from this page.
Sources are listed with each fact in the Five W's above.
Cite This Page
APA
Saving Planets. (n.d.). American Rivers. https://www.savingplanets.com/American_Rivers.html
MLA
"American Rivers." Saving Planets, https://www.savingplanets.com/American_Rivers.html.