Stream Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen Responses to Small Dams and Dam Removal in Massachusetts

Small, surface-release dams are ubiquitous across the U.S. and have the potential to alter stream flow, impede sediment and nutrient transport, and fragment biotic assemblages. To mitigate these and other ecological impacts and reduce public safety hazards, dam removal has become an increasingly prevalent method of stream restoration. However, few streams have been consistently monitored before and after dam removal, and there is a need for more information regarding how dam removals affect stream ecosystems across different dam, stream, and watershed characteristics. The presented data aimed to quantify the effects of dams and dam removals on two critical water quality parameters (stream temperature and dissolved oxygen) across 16 Massachusetts streams with completed (10 sites) or upcoming dam removals. This data release provides daily temperature and dissolved oxygen data before and up to 5 years after removal in upstream, downstream, and impounded or formerly impounded reaches.