It is estimated that more than 1.2 million dams fragment Europe’s rivers, of which more than 156,000 are obsolete, according to a statement
The removal of dams from rivers in Greece, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia, the training of services and agencies on how this practice can be implemented and the information and awareness of the public are attempted by local and international bodies, with the project “Removal Scaling up dam removal: implementation plan for Southeastern Europe’.
Considering the high ecological value of the area, Dam Removal Europe, led by the World Fish Migration Foundation, aspires to expand the dam removal movement in SE Europe by starting this project in collaboration with regional agencies. Funded by the European Open Rivers Programme, an organization that funds river restoration actions, the three-year project is implemented in collaboration with the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Man (MedINA), Fauna and Flora, Wetlands International, European Rivers Network, and WWF Netherlands, Slovakia and Adriatic.
The project, as stated in a statement by the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Man, aims to bring the issue of dam removal to the political agenda, while improving the relevant legislation, to create and spread a positive and evidence-based narrative in favor of river restoration and dam removal, create opportunities for dam removal in the region and ensure that relevant agencies have the necessary expertise and tools to implement these projects maximizing ecological benefits, as well as raise awareness of the issue at the national level governments, river management agencies and the public to make the benefits of dam removal widely understood. Another important dimension of the project concerns the identification and utilization of appropriate sources of funding for the removal of the dams. Through all these actions, the project aspires to contribute to the removal of obsolete dams and, consequently, to the restoration of rivers of high biological value in Southeast Europe.
“We are delighted to support this ambitious international project which aims to act as a catalyst for dam removal projects in a highly biodiverse region of Europe,” says Jack Foxall, executive director of the European Open Rivers Programme. “By addressing important issues impeding dam removal and facilitating the formation of new related initiatives, this project has the potential to strengthen the dam removal movement in South East Europe, helping to restore river flow and protect biodiversity.”
Why is removing dams from rivers important? It is estimated that more than 1.2 million dams fragment Europe’s rivers, of which more than 156,000 are obsolete, as noted in the same announcement. Among the various negative impacts is the loss of biodiversity, with populations of migratory freshwater fish in Europe having declined by 93%.
According to Herman Wanningen, the main goal is to “implement new and more dam removal projects”. The director of the World Fish Migration Foundation argued that this project “will give agencies and professionals the know-how and confidence to develop dam removal projects and inspire neighboring countries to join the movement, replicating good practices.”
For Nevenka Lukic Rojsek, from WWF Adriatic, “the project is focused on addressing the challenges that Croatia is facing. The conservation of important ecosystems, including Danube trout habitat, is threatened by habitat fragmentation and invasive species. The project aims to remove these obstacles, ensuring river continuity, optimal spawning conditions and an overall ecological improvement in the Bijela Rijeka River. In this way, we ensure unique species and promote the long-term sustainability of this pristine environment.”
As for Greece, Alexandra Pappa, MedINA’s water programs manager, clearly states the need to reverse the situation: “In Greece, it is time to discard the outdated practices of the past and focus on giving the rivers room to grow. perform their natural functions and recover from the chronic problems caused by their neglect and fragmentation.”
In Romania, for Iain Trewby, from Fauna & Flora, “this project provides an exciting opportunity to restore ecological connectivity by building the necessary support for dam removal, which will enhance biodiversity and improve the functioning of inland water systems’.
In Slovakia, Martina PaulÃková expresses the ambition to “take the removal of barriers to the next level”.
According to the head of WWF Slovakia’s inland water program, MedINA’s statement says, this project will “accelerate the process of removing smaller obsolete dams, connecting stakeholders and proposing valid improvements in legislation”.
Source: Skai
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