WATCH: Time-Lapse of Columbia Lake Dam Removal

It’s been two and a half years since the removal of the Columbia Dam on the Paulins Kill in Northern New Jersey. In that time, American Shad have been discovered upstream of the former dam, a major indicator of improved water quality. The following time-lapse videos highlight the amazing efforts by the project team to reconnect the floodplain and restore fish passage, enabling the river to return to its former ecological state.

Removal of the Columbia Dam. Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Contracted by New Jersey Nature Conservancy and American Rivers, our team of engineers and ecologists designed, permitted, and oversaw the removal of the Columbia Dam, the largest dam removal to date in New Jersey. Additional project partners include U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Riverlogic, and SumCo EcoContracting.

Construction of fish passage structures. Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Removal of the Remnant Dam. Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Princeton Hydro has designed, permitted, and overseen the reconstruction, repair, and removal of dozens of small and large dams in the Northeast. Click here to read more about our work in fish passage, river restoration, and dam removal.

• Dam and Barrier
• Engineering
• Stream Restoration