Trout return to Lake Acksjön after an absence of 100 years
After more than one hundred years of control, water is again flowing freely between Lake Acksjön and the Klarälven (Klar River) after a dam was removed in 2017. Lake Acksjön…
This past summer two dams were removed from Shiretoko’s watershed in the Shiretoko National Park, in Japan. The purpose of these removals were to return the river back to its…
As an employee of Tyne Rivers Trust and Hexham resident, I’m very fortunate to work on and live beside the ‘best salmon river in England’. I regularly wander down to…
We are pleased to announce the "Dam Removal goes Alps" seminar, organized by WWF (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), Dam Removal Europe partners, and in cooperation with regional and international partners.…
The River Restoration Centre is currently collating abstracts and is in the processes of selecting presentations to develop an exciting, interesting programme on a range of topics. Bookings are open…
Donations to remove dams are not only financial support but also moral support
Within one year after WWF Netherlands started the Dam Removal Crowdfunding Campaign we are now seeking donations to fund the first dam removal in Lithuanian history. It is because of…
Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) CCB was established in February 1990, in Helsinki, when environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGO’s) from the countries of the Baltic Sea Region became united to co-operate in…
Selune Valley Revival: Where local residents and science me(e)t
Selune Valley Revival: Where local residents and science me(e)t The 5th International Dam Removal Seminar was held from the 24th to the 26th of September in Rennes and Avranches, France.…
The weir at The Linney on the River Corve in Ludlow, Shropshire, UK has been in place for a couple of centuries. It’s existence was to allow for the movement…
New 10M € LIFE project will demolish four obsolete hydropower plants!
On September 16th The County Administrative Board of Skåne received funding from the EU to launch one of Europe's largest water restoration projects. The new EU LIFE program, 'Life Connects'…
Barrier removal revives local invertebrate population
At the beginning of 2019 a culvert of approximately 280 metres in length was removed by South Cumbria Rivers Trust in Crosthwaite, Cumbria. This project was the first in the…
New Guardian article highlights AMBER (Adaptive Management of Barriers in European Rivers) researchers who find that only 1% of UK's rivers are free-flowing. Many of their rivers are obstructed with…
Crowdfunded weir removal benefits after only two months!
On 3rd July 2019, a low-head weir on Smithies Brook near Clitheroe, Lancashire was removed by the Ribble Rivers Trust and a team of volunteers with thanks to a Europe-wide…
The removal of the Vezins dam in France is now well underway. As of August 26th, 35-40 % of the demolition was completed! It is expected that it will be…
Dam removal – catalyst for the restoration of inland waters
One of our main partners, the World Fish Migration Foundation, together with Wetlands International recently submitted a consultation letter to the European Commission proposing a focus on dam removal as…
The freeing of Hiitolanjoki River – the movement of salmon from Ladoga to headwaters
Environmental Manager of the Regional Council of South-Karelia Matti Vaittinen, fisherman and also actor Jasper Pääkkönen and Executive Director of the South Karelian Recreation Area Foundation Hanna Ollikainen are ready…
We are pleased to report that another weir has been successfully removed on the Swanside Brook, near Clitheroe, Lancashire. This provides restoration of natural processes and opens up 12km of…
Dam Removal Europe have awarded Ribble Rivers Trust (RRT) funding after a Europe-wide crowd funding appeal.The capital is for the removal of a weir across Smithies Brook near Clitheroe, Lancashire.…
In case you missed it! Estonia seminar recap On 22- 23 May 2019, 130 people from 23 countries came together in Pärnu, Estonia to share knowledge and connect at Let…
With a countdown followed by cheering and an ovation, a blocking piece of timber was raised and finally, the river was free-flowing again in Vantaa, Finland. The Tikkurila Dam was…
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…
Finland to include dam removal in their national policies!
Two days after the removal of the Tikkurila Dam in Vantaa, Finland, the first Government of Finland released their new National Programme that allocates 18 million Euros to barrier removals.…
Selune Valley Revival! Dam Removal Europe, European Rivers Network and partners invites you for an amazing international seminar on 24-26 September 2019. International Seminar on dam removal in France…
Next generation dam removers in Slovenia! On the 13th of May, WWF Adria got opportunity to message to younger audiences about dam removal and its importance at the Scouts day…
AMBER study shows free flowing rivers hardly exist anymore in Europe
AMBER study shows free flowing rivers hardly exist anymore in Europe A new article, published in Nature, shows how the number of worlds rivers which are free flowing is…
A dam in a Lithuanian Natura2000 area is blocking the migration route for salmon and trout species. Now, we are raising funds to remove it! Be a part of the…
Let it Flow! International seminar on dam removal, Estonia
Let it Flow! International seminar on dam removal, Estonia Estonia, 22-23 May 2019 The Environment Agency of Estonia and Dam Removal Europe (DRE) partners invite you to join the fourth…
River Savers´ Association in Sweden (Älvräddarna) has started a crowdfunding movement with the aim of removing unnecessary migratory obstacles in Swedish watercourses, #slutsnackat (#stoptalking). Each year, a specific project is…
Lunch meeting: dam removal, a viable solution to regenerate european rivers
Lunch Meeting: Dam Removal, A Viable Solution to Restore European Rivers Brussels, 25 April 2019 12:30 to 14:00 hours Dam Removal Europe and DG Environment invite you to join for…
WWF Netherlands hosted their first dam removal event of 2019!
On January 19th, WWF Netherlands hosted a their first dam removal event! The room was full of energy with future and enthusiastic dam-removers. Bart Geenen, nature conservationist at WWF, kicked…
Check it out! We are happy to announce that we have finally opened up a FaceBook page! Follow us to receive updates, news, photos and all things Dam Removal Europe.…
Dam removal planned in Rönne å River in the south of Sweden
In the south of Sweden a small municipality - Klippan (pop.17 600) - has decided to acquire the three hydropower plants in Rönne å River with the purpose of removing…
Ministry of the Environment in Estonia invites you: Dam Removal Seminar
Save the Date! Estonia, 22 – 23 May 2019 The current river restoration in Estonia might be one of the most impressive projects in Europe around the issue of dam removals. The…
In Europe, we have been building barriers for centuries but we are now starting to realise there are much more barriers then we thought. We are building an atlas of…
On December 2, 2018, approximately one hundred people marched along the Verdugo River in Pontevedra, Spain from Soutomaior to Ponte Inferno—the location of the hydroelectric Ponte Inferno Dam. The concession…
This year Dam Removal Europe has been successful. In every direction it has grown as dam removals have gained more publicity and the expert network has expanded immensely. This year,…
We are so excited to announce that the first CROWDFUNDED barrier has been removed!! The Crosthwaite Culvert in Northern England needed 10.000 donated funds and we did it together! By…
Local protest calls for the removal of an expired dam in Pontevedra, Spain
On December 2, 2018, approximately one hundred people marched along the Verdugo River in Pontevedra, Spain from Ponte Comboa to Ponte Inferno—the location of the hydroelectric dam. The concession for…
On October 10th, Roberto Epple, president of the European Rivers Network (ERN), received the EuroNatur Award 2018 for his outstanding personal dedication to protecting European rivers. “It has always been…
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers support the removal of obsolete barriers
In this regulatory guidance letter, the U.S. ACE determine the removal of obsolete barriers as an “effective approach to restoring river and stream structure, functions, and dynamics.” They agree that…
This year, The European Environment Agency has written a report, European water: assessment of status and pressures 2018, on the state of Europe’s water. This report compiles the information the…
Swimways and River Management in the 21st Century, A Symposium in Washington, DC.
Image by Seppo Linonen On November 19th, The World Fish Migration Foundation and the Industry of Water Infrastructure and Management are hosting a symposium on ‘Swimways and River Management in…
Author: Arjan Berkhuysen ‘This is the tallest tree in France’. I was standing in front of an old mansion, which served as a bed & breakfast close to a…
A small scale study done on the River Eastburn Beck in England shows the positive impact weir removal has on brown trout populations. Earlier this year, Professor Jon Grey from…
There is a global boom in hydropower development, mainly fueled by public perception, especially because of the need to produce energy with less greenhouse gas emissions. Thousands of major…
The Hydropower Industry’s Perspective on Dam Removal
During the past Dam Removal Europe seminar in Sweden, Sara Sandberg from Fortum and Johan Tielman from E.On presented “The hydropower industry’s perspective on dam removal.” During their presentation…
On September 30th, Euronatur, Riverwatch and Center for the Environment delivered a joint press release on the concert for Balkan Rivers in Saravejo. This past Saturday, hundreds of concert goers…
Practices of small hydropower and dam removal in China
Author: Dr CUI Zhenhua According to the 13th Hydropower Development Plan of China (2015-2020), issued by National Energy Administration, small and medium hydropower is strictly restricted and the retirement mechanism…
Intentions for a barrier-free Municipality in Sweden!
This past September 140 experts from 23 different countries met in the city of Hudiksvall, Sweden, 300 km north of Stockholm. There, they participated in a conference on dam…
Local community members band together to save their river
A joint press release by EuroNatur, Riverwatch, and Center for Environment recognizes the victorious effort of 200 community members to stop a dam from being built. Last Friday, local villagers…
How to remove big hydro-power dams and the lessons learned
An interview with Roberto Apple By Rik Bomer - Happy Fish Journey In France in the small river the Seluné is something drastically going to change. Two structures that changed…
Removal of the 22 meter high Yecla de Yeltes dam In April 2018 the removal of the Yecla de Yeltes dam was started by the Confederación Hidrográfica del Duero (CHD),…
$1.02 billion hydropower project goes terribly wrong causing local disaster
This past Monday, 23 June 2018, the hydroelectric dam built in Laos collapsed. According to Laos News Agency, the flash flooding left several people dead, hundreds missing, and thousands displaced.…
In Galicia, officials are starting the paperwork to remove dams across the region
Local government in Galicia have begun on the long-term strategy to remove obsolete dams and open up rivers. They also are making it harder than ever to restore current dams…
Removing tens of thousands of obsolete dams in Europe will bring life back to rivers We proudly present: The Dam Removal Europe Policy Report: A viable solution for the future…
Lithuania has a huge potential in river restoration
Conclusions and results of the Dam Removal Europe Workshop in Lithuania Date: 2 – 3 July 2018 By Karolina Gurjazkaite On 2 July the Lithuanian Ministry of Environment (Aplinkos ministerija)…
Fully booked! To be or not to be… removed | International seminar on dam removal, Sweden
To be or not to be... removed | International seminar on dam removal Sweden, 24 – 26 September 2018 Karlstad University (KAU), Hudiksvall municipality, County Board Gävleborg and Dam Removal Europe…
To dam or to remove? How to improve river connectivity
An EU initiative is mapping dams and barriers across the continent to identify those that need to be restored or lifted. The database could help strike a balance between economic…
Crowd Funding Platform for dam removal! We are very happy to announce that WWF Netherlands just launched the Dam Removal Crowd Funding Platform! The site is hosted and fully supported…
Dam Removal Europe Workshop in Lithuania Date: 2 – 3 July 2018 Next week, Dam Removal Europe along with the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, will host…
Nature: Europe is demolishing its dams to restore ecosystems
Most scientists welcome the dam-removal trend but some call for research into potential ill effects. Dam Removal Europe is growing fast since its official launch on November of 2016 in…
Bike migration stops at the Vezins Dam Rik Bomer started cycling in April 2018 from Madrid to Groningen visiting on his way amazing rivers and people. In his words: “I…
Fantastic barrier removal in Tees River Basin The Cloff Bridge weir was on a tributary of the Tees called North Burn –one of the few downstream of and therefore not…
Criteria for decision making towards the improvement of river connectivity and dam removal considering the impacts of invasive fish species in the Iberian Peninsula
“Criteria for decision making towards the improvement of river connectivity and dam removal considering the impacts of invasive fish species in the Iberian Peninsula” (CIREF and Wetland International) The Iberian…
30 years of data reveal dramatic increase in abundance of brown trout following the removal of a small hydrodam
Birnie-Gauvin, K., Larsen, M. H., Nielsen, J., & Aarestrup, K. (2017).30 years of data reveal dramatic increase in abundance of brown trout following the removal of a small hydrodam. Journal…
You kill the dam, you are killing a part of me This study done by Fox et al at Dartmouth College (New Hampshire, USA) “reveal how complex cultural dynamics competing…
Sustainability - Open Access Journal Special Issue in open-access journal Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050, IF 1.789) entitled "Integrating Ecohydraulics in River Restoration: Advances in Science and Applications". Deadlinefor manuscript submissions: 31…
MAVA foundation’s grants The MAVA foundationsupports conservation that benefits people and nature through four formal programs in the Mediterranean, Coastal West Africa,and Switzerland. Thanks to this grant (which has recently…
USA continues to remove historic barriers to recover their rivers’ health and fisheries
USA continues to remove historic barriers to recover their rivers’ health and fisheries Although North America has over 10,000 years of human history, the best conserved legacy of construction comes…
World Fish Migration Day 2018! As some of you already know (because you participated!) this World Fish Migration Daywas an amazing success. All the team is thrilled and really moved…
Major Polish rivers are seriously threatened by government plans
Major Polish rivers are seriously threatened by government plans Save the Rivers Coalition(Poland) brings together organisations which protect Poland’s rivers, streams and wetlands, and the coalition includes scientists, individual persons,…
Salmon comes back to Twynholm after almost 100 years thanks to a dam removal
Salmon comes back to Twynholm after almost 100 years thanks to a dam removal One of the barriers removed in Scotland in September of 2016 thanks to WEF* (Water Environment…
Tackling barriers in Wales Dealing with barriers in Wales is part of the day job for Natural Resources Wales and its partners – the 6 rivers trusts in Wales. In…
More barrier removals in England! Thanks to the efforts of the South East Rivers Trust (SERT), the Environment Agency (EA) and Thames Rivers Trust (TRT) are removing more barriers in…
Barriers also being removed in Czech Republic! Thanks to the EU projectLIFE CORCONTICA, which started in 2012 and ends this year, the first barrier removals (that we know of) in…
AMBER & Dam removal Europe seminar and field visit
AMBER & Dam Removal Europe seminar and field visit Date: 16 – 17 April 2018 Introduction Rivers rank among some of the most threatened ecosystems in the world, and are…
Open rivers – Dam Removal seminar, the Netherlands/Belgium
Open rivers - Dam Removal seminar, the Netherlands/Belgium Date: 6 April 2018 On Friday the 6thof April a seminar on the removal of dams and weirs was celebrated in Gravenvoeren,…
River Continuity Restoration and Diadromous Fishes: Much More than an Ecological Issue
River Continuity Restoration and Diadromous Fishes: Much More than an Ecological Issue This paper presents the main challenges for defining, evaluating and achieving effective river continuity restoration. You can request…
Increased sediment load during a large-scale dam removal changes nearshore subtidal communities
Increased sediment load during a large-scale dam removal changes nearshore subtidal communities You can download this paper for free in PLOS one website. In addition, you can get this paper…
European grant to help fund your dam removal project
European grant to help fund your dam removal project Some people may know little about the The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). This fund was created to improve and…
Save the date: Dam Removal Europe Workshop in Sweden When: 24-26 of September 2018 Location: Hudiksvall, Stockholm, Sweden. What: Interesting workshop with the latest news on dam removal from Sweden…
Wetlands International webinar series: Dam Removal Step by Step
Wetlands International webinar series: Dam Removal Step by Step In November and December 2016, a free webinar series called “Restoring river continuity: methods and open challenges” was celebrated thanks to…
More than 1,700 future barriers planned in Turkey Several organizations in Turkey have now convened to work against the massive construction of dams in the country. The group called “Turkey…
The new Fish Passage 2018 website The new Fish Passage 2018 conference website is now active. Here you will find information related to this international conference, where the dam removal…
The American Rivers dam removal database now available to public
USA: The American Rivers dam removal database now available to public Thanks to the compilation of work undertaken over several years, American Rives has now made available for the public…
日本における最初のダム撤去 | Yes, yes, you understood correctly “First Dam removal in Japan” This is the first dam removal ever done in Japan and it all started thanks to a local people…
Vantaa River dam removal (Finland): Big challenge, great expectations
Vantaa River dam removal (Finland): Big challenge, great expectations This dam removal project is taking place in the middle of Vantaa City (Finland) in 2019. This is an interesting case…
Swedish film The removal of dams in Sweden is increasingly seen as a very effective ecological measure to restore river wildlife. The removals of the Sofieholm and Nianån hydropower dams,…
More dams removed in Spain! Spanish basin authorities are making big efforts every day to remove obsolete obstacles. Project initiatives usually succeed as nobody is willing to pay the maintenance…
Dam Removals in Sweden Swedish government is also making a great effort updating their obstacle database (over 10,000 obstacles along the whole country) and our findings show that Sweden has…
Dam Removals in France The removal of dams and weirs has been happening for centuries. And since the 90’s, removals have only increased. USA has already removed more than 1,300…
Workshop on dam and weir removal in the urban environment
DAM REMOVAL EUROPE Workshop Workshop on dam and weir removal in the urban environment - 25 & 26 September 2017 Birmingham, England, UK The 2nd Dam Removal Europe Workshop, jointly hosted…