Civil engineering |
Record-breaking dam removal
Small dam removals are continuing across Europe in an effort to restore river connectivity. Dam Removal Europe gives an update on progress in its recent report
Above: Before and after removal of Barrage De Le Truite D’or – Eau D’heure River in Belgium © DE LE COURT Bernard/Service public de Walloni
Below: Before and after removal of Juráňov Potok Dam on the Juráňov Potok River in Slovakia © (left) Hoľma; (right) Očadlík/ WWF Slovakia
LAST YEAR THERE WAS a 50% increase in the number of barriers being removed from European rivers. According to a report published by Dam Removal Europe (DRE), 487 barriers were removed from 15 European countries throughout 2023. In line with the EU’s biodiversity targets, DRE says that the momentum behind restoring rivers through dam removals continues to grow, with last year’s actions leading to the reconnection of over 4300km of rivers. These results can be attributed to a combination of newly available funding opportunities such as the European Open Rivers Programme, the coordinated efforts of national and regional public authorities, plus the DRE coalition’s mainstreaming activities and increased public awareness. Similarly to 2022, most of the removed barriers were low-head weirs which have a high probability of being old and/or obsolete and can be removed in a cost- efficient way. France led the way with 156 removals,
followed by Spain with 95, 81 in Sweden and 72 in Denmark.
“It is amazing to witness another record-breaking year for dam removals in European rivers. Almost 500 barriers were removed, highlighting the growing support for river restoration to enhance water security, reverse nature loss and adapt to the worsening impacts of climate change,” said Herman Wanningen, Director of the World Fish Migration Foundation, a founding partner of Dam Removal Europe. “From France to Finland, communities, companies and countries are investing in removing obsolete and increasingly risky barriers to improve river health for people and nature.” European rivers are fragmented by more than 1.2 million barriers, including over 150,000 obsolete barriers – many of which DRE claims pose significant hazards to people and wildlife. Wanningen drew attention to the need to remove these and prevent
30 | June 2024 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
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