The Taunton River, a ~500 mi2 watershed in Southeastern Massachusetts, hosts one of the largest river herring runs in New England and was designated Wild and Scenic in 2009. The Taunton mainstream is free-flowing but many tributaries are blocked by obsolete and deteriorating dams that obstruct fish passage and pose safety hazards to surrounding communities. Since 2005 two unmaintained dams in the watershed caused high profile emergencies. With public and private partners, The Nature Conservancy is working to remove obsolete dams in this watershed, as well as improve enabling conditions for future dam removals through statewide policy efforts to expedite restoration project permitting and increase dam removal funding. Concern for public safety has been an effective catalyst for this progress, encouraging public officials to back dam removal efforts and leading community members and dam owners to support dam removal projects.