Dams threaten freshwater fish populations by blocking migratory species from accessing habitat that is essential to their life cycle, by altering the physical landscape, by promoting invasive species, and by homogenization of fish communities. There are thousands of aging and deteriorating dams across the United States, and dam removal is gaining popularity as a mitigation strategy to reconnect aquatic habitats. However, restoration after dam removal is not instantaneous or guaranteed – decades of sediment may be released throughout the catchment area, water flow may dramatically increase, and invasive species may be able to expand their ranges. All of these changes impact the fish that live above and below a dam removal. This study uses a replicated design to evaluate how fish communities respond after removal. Using environmental DNA metabarcoding, we surveyed eight sites where dams have been removed. We selected dam removals spanning two decades (2004-2024) to create a time series. For every removal, two reference sites were selected: a dammed site with an intact dam, and an undammed site where no human-made dam has ever existed. Every site was split into two sub-sites above and below a fixed point: the removed dam at the removal sites, the existing dam at the dammed sites, or a location chosen based on accessibility at the undammed sites. We compared patterns of alpha and beta diversity, as well as re-colonization time for native migratory, resident species, and invasive species. The stratified design allowed for comparison at both the site and regional levels. The results I will discuss can be used to inform dam mitigation strategies, biodiversity monitoring, fisheries management, and future restoration projects.