Record-breaking dam collapse – International Water Power
Last year, the number of barriers removed from European rivers increased by 50%. According to a report published by Dam Removal Europe (DRE), 487 barriers were removed in 15 European countries in 2023.
In line with the EU’s biodiversity targets, DRE says the momentum behind river restoration through dam removal continues to build. Last year’s actions resulted in the reconnection of over 4300 km of rivers. These results are due to a combination of newly available funding opportunities such as the European Open Rivers Programme, the coordinated efforts of national and regional authorities, the mainstreaming activities of the DRE coalition and increased public awareness.
Similar to 2022, most of the barriers removed were low-water weirs, which are most likely old and/or obsolete and can be removed cost-effectively. France led the way with 156 removals, followed by Spain with 95, 81 in Sweden and 72 in Denmark.
“It is astonishing to see another record year for dam removal on European rivers. Almost 500 barriers have been removed, underlining the growing support for river restoration to improve 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 “From France to Finland, communities, companies and countries are investing in removing outdated and increasingly risky barriers to improve river health for people and nature.”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 pose a significant risk to humans and wildlife, according to DRE. Wanningen pointed out that these barriers must be removed to prevent future disasters: “Obsolete barriers only harm the river, increase the loss of nature and pose a growing risk as they are built for very different climatic conditions. It is time to rethink the way we manage our rivers by removing all obsolete barriers and allowing as many rivers to flow freely as possible. A river that does not flow freely is slowly dying.”
The DRE’s report does not include obsolete barriers that have deteriorated and collapsed naturally, or functional barriers that have structurally failed due to extreme rainfall. In 2023, at least three such incidents occurred across Europe in Norway, Northern Ireland and Slovenia, triggering landslides and flooding that forced downstream communities to evacuate. The DRE says it is compiling information on these incidents to raise awareness, which can also be used to make informed decisions and help prioritize barrier removal projects.
Future plans for dam removal
Several significant barrier removal projects are planned for the near future. Croatia is expected to remove eight barriers, including parts of old mills and remnants of older infrastructure. Romania is also preparing to remove its first barrier, scheduled for May, which is expected to improve river connectivity and ecosystem health. In Spain, the Catalan Water Authority plans to start removing the dam in Colonia del Rio in June, continuing its proactive approach to restoring rivers and ecosystems in the country.
Dam removal Europe
Dam Removal Europe (DRE) is a coalition of seven organisations: World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Rivers Trust, The Nature Conservancy, European Rivers Network, Rewilding Europe, Wetlands International and World Fish Migration Foundation. DRE’s goal is to restore the flow of European rivers and streams and to establish barrier removal as a means of restoration.
NB: River connectivity is a key theme of the EU Nature Restoration Act, which includes a commitment to remove man-made barriers to restore the free flow of at least 25,000 km of rivers in Europe by 2030. On 27 February 2024, the European Parliament adopted the Nature Restoration Act, after European member states reached a provisional agreement in November 2023. It now needs to be adopted by the Council before being published in the EU Official Journal and entering into force 20 days later.
