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Course Details
Course Name: Dam Removal: Design, Planning, and Implementation
Course Code: EW0404WA23
Date: June 8 & 9, 2023
Time: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm EDT (Log-in time: 8:00 am EDT)
Location: Online
Format: Live, instructor-led
Registration Fee: $395 per person
Early Bird Discount Fee: $375 per person (expires May 25, 2023)
Registration Closes: June 6, 2023
Paying with a check, money order, or purchase order?
Payments should be made out to: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Checks and money orders should be mailed to: Office of Continuing Professional Education, Attn: Registration Dept., 102 Ryders Ln, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8519
Purchase Orders can be mailed to the address above or electronically sent to registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.
Course Overview
In the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law in November 2021, there is $800 million for dam removal. With the growing awareness and funding in the United States and other areas of the world, such as Europe, this dam safety compliance and ecosystem restoration approach will increase the demand for professionals knowledgeable about this type of project.
Decommissioning these structures can be complex, involving the protection of infrastructure, mitigation of sediment discharges, an understanding of riverine processes, ecosystem function, and hydraulics, as well as addressing stakeholder concerns.
Featured Topics
- Dam Demolition Techniques
- Hydraulic and Sediment Transport Modeling
- Developing Conceptual Models of the Resulting Impoundment
- Sediment Management
- Fish Passage
- Ecosystem Restoration of the Former Lakebed
Who Should Attend?
Individuals who want to increase their knowledge and understanding of dam removal projects will benefit from attending this course. Past participants have included:
- Biologists
- Conservation Ecologists
- Ecological Restoration Coordinators
- Engineers
- Environmental Analysts
- Environmental Scientists
- Grant Writers
- Landscape Architects
- Permit Coordinators
- Project Managers
- Restoration Directors
- Stream Habitat Coordinators
Meet Your Instructors
Faculty Coordinator
Geoffrey M. Goll, P.E.

Geoffrey Goll is the President of Princeton Hydro, a multidisciplinary water resources and geosciences engineering firm with offices throughout the Northeast, of which he is a founding member. Mr. Goll obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University, College of Engineering and a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has more than 30 years of experience in engineering and is licensed in nine states and the District of Columbia.
He has pioneered the removal of dams in NJ, with the first dam removed to provide fish passage in this state started more than 20 years ago. Since that time, he has been in charge of and the engineer of record for more than 100 dams all over the northeastern United States for the purpose of dam removal and decommissioning specifically for compliance, fish migration, floodplain reconnection, and ecosystem restoration. He has presented at regional and national conferences on the subjects of dam safety, removal, and ecosystem restoration.
Additional Instructors
Dr. Stephen J. Souza

Dr. Souza is the owner of Clean Waters Consulting, LLC. He has more than 35 years of project experience managing and restoring lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Dr. Souza received his B.S. from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, his M.S. from Rutgers University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Souza is the Founder of Princeton Hydro, LLC and served as the company’s President until his recent retirement from Princeton Hydro in 2019.
Dr. Souza has served as an instructor and course coordinator for the Rutgers NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education for more than 25 years. He is an Adjunct Professor at Temple University and also conducts professional continuing education courses at Montclair State University.
Dr. Souza is a past president of the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS), as well as the Pennsylvania Lake Management Society (PALMS). He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC). Dr. Souza’s achievements include the NJ-American Water Resources Association Peter J. Homack Award (2012), the NALMS Lake Management Success Story Award (2017), and the NYS Federation of Lake Associations Lake Tear of the Clouds Award (2018). He is a frequent guest speaker for the NJ Coalition of Lake Associations, as well as NJDEP, NYSDEC, and other entities dedicated to the protection, restoration, and management of water resources.
Laura Craig, Ph.D., Engineering and Land Planning Associates, Inc.
Clay Emerson, Ph.D. P.E, CFM, Princeton Hydro, LLC
Beth Styler-Barry, Director of Freshwater Programs, The Nature Conservancy
Paul Woodworth, CERP, Princeton Hydro, LLC
Student Reviews
“The diversity of presentation topics was a strength of the program – permitting, stakeholder engagement, hydrology, engineering and design, biology, etc. Also, the order of the presentations was well done.”
– Past Participant
Most useful aspect of the course: “Coverage of the wide range of topics that come up during a full-scale dam removal. The sediment and modeling sections were very helpful from an engineering point of view. It was also very helpful from a project management point of view by laying out detailed steps that go into a dam removal project.”
– Past Participant
Most useful aspect of the course: “Everything! Great background and underlying information. Great information on Day 2 on what to look for when planning/implementing a dam removal project – hope to use that for some projects.”
– Past Participant
Continuing Education Credits
The Dam Removal: Design, Planning, and Implementation course is approved for 0.7 Rutgers CEUs, as well as the following credits from professional organizations.
New Jersey
NJ Landscape Architects: Pending
NJ Professional Engineers/Land Surveyors: 7 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) Credits
New York
NY Landscape Architects: 7 hours
NY Professional Engineers/Land Surveyors: 3.75 PDHs
National
American Planning Association (APA): Pending
Certified Floodplain Managers (CFM): 6.5 CECs
Course Requirements and Policies
Technology Requirements
This online course will be delivered via Zoom. On June 7, 2023, registrants will receive an email with a link to access the course. Please log into Zoom at 8:00 am EDT (30 minutes before start time) for a brief overview of the online format. The course will start promptly at 8:30 am EDT.
Equipment you will need to access this training:
- Laptop or desktop computers are required for this class.
- Speakers and microphone are not necessary as a call-in option is available.
Email Requirement
A unique email address is required for each registrant to register and access our courses.
- If this is your first time registering with us, please provide your own unique email address when registering; do not provide an email address that you share with co-workers.
- If you have previously taken classes with us and have used an email address that you share with your co-workers or supervisor, your account must be updated with a unique email address. To do this, please send an email to us at registration@njaes.rutgers.edu stating that your email address needs to be changed and include:
- Your full name
- The shared email address that needs to be changed
- Your unique email address
- A phone number where you can be reached if we have any questions
Photo ID Requirement
Each registrant will be asked provide a photo of him/herself holding their government-issued photo ID. This is required by credit boards so that you may receive credits for participating in this online course.
- You will receive a reminder email prior to the start of the class with further instructions. Wait to receive these instructions before you attempt to upload your ID.
- The photo must be clear enough that we can read your name and verify that the person pictured on the ID is in fact the person holding it.
- After an OCPE staff member reviews the picture and verifies your identity, you will have access to participate in the course when it begins.
Cancellations and Substitutions
A $100 cancellation fee applies for this course. Substitutions are permitted. View our cancellation policy.
Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about Dam Removal: Design, Planning, and Implementation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Program Coordinator: Suzanne Hills
848-932-7234
suzanne.hills@rutgers.edu
For registration assistance, please contact our Registration Department at 848-932-9271, option 2 or email registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.