Atkisson Dam Removal: Supporting River Restoration on Winters Run

Princeton Hydro is proud to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District on the Atkisson Dam Removal project, an effort that prioritizes public safety, ecological restoration, and long-term watershed health in Harford County, Maryland.

The Atkisson Dam and Reservoir are located along Winters Run, a 14.6-mile-long river that eventually becomes Otter Point Creek, flowing into the Bush River and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. Constructed in 1942, the concrete gravity dam once served as an auxiliary freshwater supply for Edgewood Arsenal operations. By the 1970s, however, the structure was no longer needed for that purpose. The dam is approximately 468 feet long, rising 46 feet at the spillway and nearly 60 feet at the abutments. Its central feature is a 210-foot-wide, uncontrolled ogee-type spillway, flanked by structural elements along both banks.

Over time, the reservoir has become heavily silted following multiple storm events, and dense vegetation has encroached throughout the impounded area. Removal of the structure will eliminate potential long-term risks associated with dam failure while restoring the free flow of Winters Run, improving water quality and reconnecting habitat.

Recently, Princeton Hydro’s geotechnical engineering team completed the first of several field efforts to support dam removal design. This phase involved a complex setup: mounting an SPT drilling rig onto a barge and navigating down the river to reach sampling locations within the former reservoir. Working from both land and water, the team collected critical geotechnical and sediment data that will inform safe and effective restoration.

Geotechnical Engineer and Certified Construction Specifier Matthew Pappas led on-site coordination. Geotechnical Engineer Marissa Ciocco, PE, joined the team on the barge during drilling days, supporting field coordination and sample collection under challenging conditions.

Future efforts will include direct push sampling using a Marsh Master, along with hand auger investigations, followed by laboratory testing of collected samples. Together, these data will inform a design that addresses sediment management, site safety, and long-term stream stability following dam removal. As the Atkisson Dam Removal project moves forward, we look forward to sharing more updates from the field and highlighting the collaborative efforts that make meaningful restoration possible.

• Dam and Barrier
• Engineering
• Resiliency
• Stream Restoration