Podcast Summary: "Undammed: Freeing Rivers and Bringing Communities to Life"

Podcast: New Books Network
Host: Michael Simpson
Guest: Tara Lohan
Date: January 27, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Michael Simpson interviews environmental journalist Tara Lohan about her newest book "Undammed: Freeing Rivers and Bringing Communities to Life" (Island Press, 2025). The conversation explores the science, storytelling, and societal impacts behind the dam removal movement in the United States, blending ecological insight with personal narrative and broader themes of environmental justice, community, and climate resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Storytelling Approach in Environmental Writing

• Tara shares her motivation for combining scientific facts with personal and community stories to foster deeper connections with readers.
  • Quote [02:49]:
    "When I looked back at the books that had the most impact on me, that was the narrative that really struck… I tried to take that approach a little bit with this book… sharing some of my own perspective of being in these places, watching some of these landscapes change or learning about them, or meeting the people who have been in these places." — Tara Lohan

Intended Audience and Accessibility

• Tara aimed for a broad, non-technical audience, making scientific research on dam removal accessible and compelling.
  • Quote [03:55]:
    "I tried to make their research and their work accessible to a lay audience. I hope that an average reader would want to pick up a book if they're looking for environmental solutions or a good news story or way to learn more about this topic." — Tara Lohan

Defining "Bringing Communities to Life"

• The book's subtitle refers not only to ecological restoration but also the revitalization of human communities, recreation, water quality, and reconnection to local rivers.
  • Quote [04:42]:
    "People really had their communities changed by dam removals, but also just their relationship with rivers." — Tara Lohan

Environmental Justice and Indigenous Rights

• Dam removal intersects deeply with environmental justice, especially restoring treaty rights and cultural connections for Indigenous communities.
  • Quote [06:08]: "Dam removal has helped to restore some of those rights that are legally they're legally entitled to. But it also helps restore a cultural connection that tribes have been disassociated with for a long time because of dam building." — Tara Lohan

River Fragmentation: Impacts Beyond Water Flow

• Dams fragment rivers, disrupting the natural transport of sediment, seeds, and woody debris, affecting everything from fish habitat to coastal erosion.
  • Notable example: Matilija Dam in Ojai, CA, which is now entirely filled with sediment, harming both storage and downstream beach replenishment.

Sediment Management in Dam Removal

• The type and amount of sediment determines removal strategies:
  • Slow, phased drawdowns (Elwha Dam)
  • Rapid release of fine sediment (Klamath Dams)
  • Dredging in cases of toxic sediment (Cuyahoga River)
    • Quote [09:00]: "It's quite a complicated science and it really depends a lot on the river, where it's happening and how long the dam has been there and the kind of sediment that is behind the dam..." — Tara Lohan

Engineering Approaches to Dam Removal

• Varied methods: scraping away earthen dams, utilizing outlet tunnels, or operating barges to extract contaminated sediments.
  • Quote [11:32]: "For the Klamath dams, it depended on the dam. Some of them were earthen structures, so you kind of just scrape away at the top..." — Tara Lohan

Fish Ladders vs. Full Removal

• Fish passage structures are often expensive and not universally effective for all migratory species.
  • Quote [13:04]: "They realized it was more expensive than taking down the dams… Fish ladders or fish lifts don't always work for all these different species together..." — Tara Lohan

Economic Considerations & Pushback

• Dams with significant utility (hydropower, irrigation) face more resistance, but many dams—especially those that no longer serve a purpose—are "deadbeats" and cost more to maintain than to remove.
  • Quote [15:40]: "What I've seen with dam removals is these are dams that are largely unneeded or not used at all… removing them actually decreases economic liability..." — Tara Lohan

Case Study: Glen Canyon Dam and Water Security

• Discussion on the complex politics and future of Glen Canyon Dam amid severe and prolonged drought on the Colorado River. While full removal remains unlikely, climate pressures are sparking broader conversations about major Western dams.
  • Quote [17:30]: "There's been a long-term drought … the water levels have fallen a lot in Lake Powell … there’s been a growing interest in talking about what it would mean to bypass this dam in the future because the water is getting so low..." — Tara Lohan

Deadbeat and Low-Head Dams

• Deadbeat dams: no longer provide their original function and often degrade rivers.
• Low-head dams: small, but dangerous due to hazardous hydraulics and public safety risks.
  • Quote [19:57]: "Deadbeat dams are dams that no longer serve a useful purpose or their intended purpose… low head dams … can actually pose a bit of a public safety challenge..." — Tara Lohan

Ecological Tradeoffs and Place-Based Decisions

• Dam removal outcomes are site-specific; sometimes, removing a dam benefits fisheries but harms unique wetlands or riparian systems.
  • Quote [23:25]: "Dam removals… are so place specific… every community that is thinking about removing a dam has to evaluate all the different factors that are involved in that place." — Tara Lohan

Dams & Climate Resilience

• Some models suggest keeping select dams might aid climate resilience—such as mitigating flood "flashiness" or preserving wetland habitat—though many small dam removals show the opposite, sometimes worsening floods if dams weren’t designed for control.
  • Quote [26:34]: "It would depend on the kind of dams … Some of the dam removals … were making flooding worse because they were catching all this debris, because they weren't designed for flood control..." — Tara Lohan

Biggest Challenges in Dam Removal

• Challenges range from community buy-in, public safety, and complex engineering (notably sediment management), to downstream impacts in communities built around assumed dam permanence.
  • Quote [27:20]: "I think part of it is … public involvement and collaboration … But sometimes it's actually the technical stuff." — Tara Lohan

Who Drives Dam Removal

• Initiatives are led variously by NGOs, citizen groups, municipalities, and state or federal agencies, often in partnership.
  • Quote [30:58]: "I think it really runs the gamut… the town of Plymouth initiated those dam removals … that came from the town government itself." — Tara Lohan

Policy and Legal Landscape

• Federal laws like the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act have played crucial roles in enabling dam removals. Recent attempts to weaken these protections are a concern.
  • Quote [32:12]: "In reporting on this book, I was shocked at the number of times that I found myself having conversations with people about the Clean Water Act because I think that law in particular has done a lot to help clean up our waterways and really change our relationship with rivers." — Tara Lohan

Promise of Dam Removals and Future Outlook

• Dam removals have restored nearly 2,000 U.S. rivers in the past 25 years, improving ecosystems and community benefits. There remains significant "low-hanging fruit" for further positive change.
  • Quote [33:40]: "They have shown great promise for restoring rivers and also great promise for bringing community-wide benefits… they're an incredible resource when used appropriately and they're a great tool in the toolbox for restoring rivers." — Tara Lohan

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Narrative’s Role:
  "I tried to take that approach a little bit with this book and try to… share some of my own perspective of being in these places, watching some of these landscapes change or learning about them, or meeting the people who have been in these places." (Tara, 02:49)

• On Indigenous Communities:
  "Dam removal has helped to restore some of those rights that are legally they're legally entitled to. But it also helps restore a cultural connection that tribes have been disassociated with for a long time because of dam building." (Tara, 06:08)

• On Technical Complexity:
  "It's quite a complicated science and it really depends a lot on the river…" (Tara, 09:00)

• On Policy Threats:
  "We've seen changes to the waters of the U.S… can impact whether wetlands or other areas like that are protected… changes that have been proposed to the Endangered Species Act which limit habitat, what is defined as habitat." (Tara, 32:12)

Important Timestamps

• 02:49 Tara on her storytelling approach
• 06:08 Indigenous rights and environmental justice
• 09:00 Technical details of sediment management
• 13:04 Limitations of fish ladders vs. dam removal
• 17:30 Glen Canyon Dam and the future of Western water security
• 19:57 Definitions of deadbeat and low-head dams
• 23:25 Ecological tradeoffs in dam removal decisions
• 27:20 Social and engineering challenges in dam removal
• 32:12 The foundational role and vulnerability of the Clean Water Act

Closing Thoughts

Tara Lohan’s "Undammed" is both a journalistic and deeply personal exploration of the cascading benefits and nuances of dam removal. Through accessible storytelling, she highlights the critical intersections of ecology, culture, history, policy, and the future of American rivers. From the technical—sediment, fish migration, watershed hydrology—to the social—justice, collaboration, and local economics—the episode offers a thoughtful, multidimensional look at how freeing rivers can bring both ecosystems and communities back to life.

Host’s farewell:
“The book is Undammed: Freeing Rivers and Bringing Communities to Life and it's published by Island Press. Thank you Tara.” (Michael Simpson, 34:58)

“Thanks so much.” (Tara Lohan, 35:06)