Goldsboro Dam Removal: Innovative Alternatives

In June of 2005, a three-foot high dam was removed from across Fishing Creek in York County, PA, connecting the creek’s upper 18 miles to the mouth of the Susquehanna River to allow the passage of migratory fish . 

In order to appease many borough of Goldsboro residents who were highly skeptical about the project, Goldsboro Dam was removed in such a way that preserved the town's two original purposes for the dam – a scour hole below the dam where fire trucks could fill their tanks, and a pool above the dam where a popular annual fishing derby for kids was held. This was accomplished by installing two large U-shaped cross vanes in the location of the former dam. 

Since the restoration, fishermen have been coming more frequently to the project site. Another benefit of the project was the installation of a dry fire hydrant at the site to make filling up pumper trucks easier. As a salute to the new setup, fire crews stopped to fill up their tanks several days after the project was completed and used their hoses to irrigate the newly seeded stream banks to promote germination. http://www.pawatersheds.org/WWeekly/issue.asp?ID=261#dam 

For more information on dam removal projects, contact F. X. Browne, Inc. at info@fxbrowne.com.