OVERVIEW

Louisiana State University (LSU) students collaborated with Rivers are Life and Friends of the Fox River to create interactive demonstrations showing how dams impact river ecosystems and the potential benefits and challenges of dam removal. The Emriver Em4 Stream Table, the largest commercially available stream table (12 feet by 4 feet, holding 265 liters of water and 163 kilograms of sediment media), was central to this summer project.

Public concerns often focus on recreational opportunities like fishing and kayaking, which dams provide. However, this project emphasized how dams disrupt natural sediment flow, block migratory fish, and flood upstream areas. Through controlled, layered removal methods—as practiced on the Fox River—the student team demonstrated how gradual sediment management can mitigate downstream disruptions.

As part of this project, LSU students developed educational modules using the stream table to show how dam removal restores natural slopes, improves water quality, and supports vegetation recovery. These tools aim to foster public understanding and support for ecological restoration efforts.

ACCOMPLISHMENT

The most significant achievement was creating an accessible and visually compelling educational tool to help bridge the gap between public concerns and scientific evidence, paving the way for informed discussions about river restoration.