List of dam removals in Arizona

This is a list of dams in Arizona that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.

Fossil Creek Diversion Dam, partially removed in 2008

Removals by watershed

Verde River

Fossil Creek, a perennial desert tributary of the Verde River, had been diverted to power the Childs-Irving Hydroelectric Facilities since 1909. In 2005 the power plants were decommissioned and the full flow of water was returned to the stream, marking the first time a desert stream in the Southwestern United States was restored to its natural flow. In 2008, the top 6 ft (1.8 m) of the dam were removed, with the remainder left in place to reduce cost and to block upstream passage of invasive fish species. This was just the second time a US dam was decommissioned for environmental reasons alone, following the 1999 removal of the Edwards Dam in Maine. Unlike with Edwards Dam, the removal of the Fossil Creek Diversion Dam supported fish with little to no commercial or recreational value.^[1]

Completed removals

Dam[2]	Height	Year removed	Location	Watercourse	Watershed
Concrete Dam	39 ft (12 m)	1982
Bright Angel Creek Fish Weir		2022	Coconino County 36.0998°N 112.0946°W / 36.0998; -112.0946 (Bright Angel Creek Fish Weir)	Bright Angel Creek	Colorado River
Golder Dam[3]	130 ft (40 m)[4]	1980	Pinal County 32.5425°N 110.8497°W / 32.5425; -110.8497 (Golder Dam)	Cañada del Oro	Santa Cruz River
Fossil Creek Diversion Dam[note 1][1]	25 ft (7.6 m)	2008	Gila County and Yavapai County 34.4213°N 111.576°W / 34.4213; -111.576 (Fossil Creek Diversion Dam)	Fossil Creek	Verde River

Notes

1. Only the top 6 ft (1.8 m) of the dam were removed. The rest was left in place as a barrier to invasive fish.