For more than 100 years, the Craggy Dam has divided the French Broad River near the town of Woodfin. But now Washington, D.C.-based American Rivers wonders whether it’s time to remove the dam to benefit the area’s ecology and increase recreational opportunities.
Whatever their original purpose, many local dams are now seen as ecologically problematic. Nonprofits, community groups and government agencies throughout Western North Carolina are now working to remove this legacy of outdated dams. Although challenging, the process offers benefits for the wildlife, safety and recreation potential of the area’s waterways.
