The Cuddebackville Dam was a concrete dam on the Neversink River in Orange County, New York near the town of Cuddebackville , removed in 2003 and 2004 to benefit aquatic life . It was the first dam removed in New York State for environmental reasons.

Built in 1915, the Cuddebackville Dam was six feet high and 125 feet across. The dam was built to divert water to turbines to generate electricity but the power plant was closed in the 1940s. Demolition work began in July 2003 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in partnership with the Nature Conservancy. Removal of the dam is to benefit the brook trout and the dwarf wedge mussel .

References

• Ian Urbina. "Dam Builder Becomes a Dam Breaker." The New York Times. September 22, 2004. A20.