This is a list of dams in Pennsylvania that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams. According to data from American Rivers, Pennsylvania has seen the most dam removals of any state.
The Susquehanna River is the primary watercourse in Central Pennsylvania. Over 130 dams have been removed from its watershed in the state.
The tall, long Oakland Dam is the only dam to have been removed from the Susquehanna River's main stem in the modern era. Completed in 2023, the $450,000 Oakland Dam removal is considered the largest dam removal project in Pennsylvania. The dam had not provided hydropower since the 1990s and was a safety hazard.
The Adam T. Bower Memorial Dam on the main stem Susquehanna is an inflatable dam that is present in the summer and "removed" during the off-season. Since the removals are not permanent, this dam remains a barrier and is not included in the below list.
The 2018âÂÂ2019 removal of the tall, long Gunter Valley Dam on Trout Run, a tributary of Conodoguinet Creek, was the tallest dam removal in Pennsylvania. The concrete and earthen dam had been built as part of the water supply system for Shippensburg, but suffered from seepage and was no longer needed. Its demolition served as a case study for dam safety engineers to learn about the effectiveness of the design and construction of this type of dam.