In just 5 years, over 70% of dams in the US will be over 50 years old, at or near the end of useful life. There’s very little understanding of the problem with the general public, even as communities and dam owners begin to grapple with the magnitude of the costs to remove or rebuild core infrastructure in our rivers and streams. As with roads and bridges, it’s a very big problem, largely unknown beyond directly affected stakeholders. A unique opportunity exists to affordably incorporate innovative small capacity hydropower systems in a design build projects that replace aging dams.