Most dams have major ecological impacts and their removal would greatly benefit riverine ecosystems. While in global terms we are still beavering away, in some parts of the world, dam removal now outpaces their construction and the diminishing cost efficiency of dams (and increasing recognition of their impacts) in drying regions may increase the rate of removals. However, while often hotspots for alien species and unfavourable to native species, artificial lentic habitats created by dams and other artificial lentic habitats can also act as refuges for aquatic fauna. Using the severely drying south-western Australia as a case region, we highlight that artificial refuges can be very important to native fishes, and contend their value may actually increase in the future due to the influence of climate change. Examples highlighted include fire-fighting waterpoints that offer critical dry-season refuge for threatened species, and large water supply dams that are free from alien piscivores (by eradication or luck). We argue that in regions where the major impact of climate change will be to reduce streamflow and where fishes can readily utilise lentic habitats for refuge or recruitment, there is potential to harness artificial waterbodies to achieve conservation outcomes while not jeopardising other values.