Dam Removal Europe - Barrier tracker App
Dam Removal Europe (DRE) have launched a campaign promoting the use of the Barrier Tracker with the aim of increasing the number of recorded barriers across Europe.
Dam Removal Europe (DRE) have launched a campaign promoting the use of the Barrier Tracker with the aim of increasing the number of recorded barriers across Europe.
The Shybenyj River flows through the Carpathian Mountains, meandering through dense green forests and steep terrain. A tributary of the Black Cheremosh River, the Shybenyj is a key spawning area for migratory fish such as brook trout and Danube Salmon. The Mjedvjezhiek and Gropynets weirs were built on the Shybenyj River near the turn of the 20th century in order to float timber. The barriers were out of use for approximately 50 years, and stood 12km apart from one another.
Over 100 barriers removed from European rivers in 2020!
The Don Catchment Rivers Trust has a mission of protecting and restoring rivers in the Don Catchment – this not only includes the Don, but the Dearne and Rother too.
The UTAD research team found that the Duoro River basin is littered with barriers and the barriers are impacting this biodiverse area. Altogether, they found 1201 barriers – 57 dams, 40 mini-hydro, and 1105 medium and small barriers and dams. This number of small and medium-sized dams is in line with the recent estimations of the AMBER project, estimating 85% of in-stream barriers are small or medium-sized. The UTAD study estimates that about 25% of these barriers are abandoned.
A recent report published by the European Environment Agency shows the necessity of a more ecosystem-based approach to the management of floodplains to conserve and restore biodiversity in rivers, lakes and wetlands, and increase water retention.
Recently, WWF CYMRU and the environmental consultancy, Ecosulis, produced the report, Wales’s Nature Crisis: Recommendations for an immediate emergency response. Within the report, they advocated to the Welsh government that barrier removal will improve river resiliency and promote biodiversity.
Financed by crowdfunding, the removal of 10 obsolete dams on the Kogilnik and Sarata Rivers will help to restore wild nature and should provide economic benefit to local communities.
Removal role model
The Ukrainian part of the Danube Delta rewilding area has just become a little wilder, with 10 dams removed on the Kogilnik and Sarata Rivers. The dams were all located within the territory of the Danube Biosphere Reserve (DBR).
Sélune River, Normandy, France – In a historic moment for Europe’s rivers, the first, irreparable breach was made today in the 36 metre high Vezins Dam – kick-starting the biggest dam removal in Europe so far.
This landmark event is part of a long-term project to free the Sélune River, and bring salmon, eels and other wildlife back to the river and the famous bay of Mont-Saint-Michel – a UNESCO world heritage site and one of Europe’s prime tourist attractions.