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Manatawny Removed
By Producer, Kelly Meinhart
 Pennsylvania
is just one of many states that has realized the importance
of free-flowing rivers and streams. Many of our waterways are
host to small mill dams that were once very important to the
growth of our nation. These dams provided the energy needed
to fuel the mills, thus providing us with valuable grains, lumber,
and other resources.
ut those days have long passed, and today many of these dams
stand in disrepair with no one to claim ownership and maintain
them for the safety of the surrounding communities.
here are many reasons to remove these small dams, not only for
the safety of the community but also for the health of the waterway.
While there is still much to learn about the changes that occur
to a river or stream after a dam has been removed, there is
much we do know. Improved habitats for fish and aquatic life
as well as fish passage are just a few of the immediate improvements.
ack in February of 2001, we brought you a video feature about
the removal of the Manatawny dam in Pottstown. I recently re-visited
the site to document the changes that have occurred since then,
and you can check out that feature next week on Watersheds.tv
— but for now, let's re-visit the original program
so you can get a sense of the magnitude of work that went in
to removing the dam.
e sure to return to Watersheds.tv next week to visit with staff
from the Delaware RiverKeeper Network, and to see the changes
that have occurred since the dam was removed. We'll also
show you some of the impressive natural stream design work that
has been completed upstream of the dam removal site that has
dramatically improved the health of the waterway. See you next
week!
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| 2001 — Scenes from the removal of the Manatawny
Dam. |
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For more information:
 Academy
of Natural Sciences Research
American
Water Resources Association
Delaware
RiverKeeper Network
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