Is it or is it not a low-head dam?
Well, in this case, we’re pretty sure it is. But many potential low-head dam sites need to be checked – by professionals like you! Through crowdsourcing, the Task Force to Create a National Inventory on low-head dams has been compiling potential locations using Google Earth Pro. We now need your help in our QA/QC efforts. We believe that an inventory of these dangerous structures is a critical component to improving public safety, as more than 1,000 fatalities have occurred in dangerous currents downstream of these structures.
The Task Force is represented by USSD, ASDSO, the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) of ASCE, American Rivers, American Whitewater, and the Southeast Aquatic Resources Habitat Partnership. Together we have combined efforts to create a national database of these structures, adding information from about a dozen states that had their own low head dam surveys.
Please consider helping us accept or reject potential low-head dam locations by volunteering a few hours of your time. All data are available and organized by state and county. If interested, please contact Dr. Brian Crookston (brian.crookston@usu.edu) or Dr. Rollin Hotchkiss (rhh@byu.edu).