Michigan Dam Removal Assessment
Michigan Municipal League Foundation
- Program Environment
- Program Area Addressing the Freshwater Challenge
- Grant Amount $45,018
- Grant Period October 1, 2005–January 31, 2007
- Location Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Geographic Focus Michigan
About this grant
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, there are between 2,500 and 3,000 dams in Michigan. Many of these structures have outlived their original purpose and the poor state of others poses a risk to public safety. Selectively removing obsolete dams would significantly contribute to the restoration of affected rivers. The Michigan River Partnership – a broad-based coalition of governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations formed in 2004 and operated by the Michigan Municipal League Foundation (MMLF) – works to build a common framework for dam removal decisionmaking in the state.Funding will enable the partnership to review other state dam assessment, modification and removal programs; conduct case studies of Michigan dam removal projects; analyze various data sources to identify potential dam removal opportunities; evaluate regulatory programs affecting dam removal; develop cost estimates for dam removal and identify funding sources; and create a communications strategy to promote the benefits of voluntary removal of obsolete small dams.