Supported by the European Open Rivers Programme and Rewilding Europe, our actions aim to restore the free flow of rivers by removing small barriers in 5 catchments: Belareca, Pârâul Rece, Feneș, Sebeș, and Bistra. 72 barriers have been identified, many of them degraded or out of purpose. Based on the Feasibility Study, a number of them will be selected for removal.
Ovidiu Cismas
Summary
Rewilding rivers is part of the Rewilding strategy to restore ecosystems and boost natural processes in the Țarcu-Retezat-Domogled area.
We are working with our partners from Aqua Crisiusto identify the barriers and asses the ecological impact of dams and other barriers on aquatic ecosystems.
About the initiative
The project financed by the European Open Rivers Programme is part of our larger initiative to rewild rivers and restore habitats. The first phase started in 2024 with the aim of conducting a comprehensive investigation of 5 river catchments in the South-Western Carpathians and recording the condition, importance and ownership of both registered and unregistered barriers that will lead to the removal proposal.
Our actions to create a database and evaluate the ecological impact are key for future interventions. This stage will conclude in March 2025, followed by preparatory work for the next phases.
We have identified a number of 72 barriers, including 39 dams, 24 weirs, 3 natural waterfalls, 2 fords, 1 built waterfall for trout, and 1 sluice.
The second phase will focus on preparatory work, permits, technical studies, and impact analysis, and the third stage will consist of the actual barrier removal.
The barriers we focus on for removal are the ones that are the most degraded or lost their functionality and can be easily removed.
About the Open Rivers Programme
The Open Rivers Programme was born from two years of in-depth research and collaboration with stakeholders, uncovering an urgent need: Europe’s rivers are fragmented by approximately one million dams, with enormous potential for ecological restoration through dam removal.
This research highlighted the impact of barriers on biodiversity loss and demonstrated how dam removal can swiftly revive river flow and restore ecosystems. However, it also revealed a limited understanding of these benefits and only a few organisations actively promoting and funding dam removal at the European level.
Recognising the scale of the issue, the funding gap, and the unique opportunity for impact, Arcadia, a charitable foundation that works to protect nature, preserve cultural heritage and promote open access to knowledge, enabled the creation of the Open Rivers Programme in Spring 2021.
The Programme officially began operating in October 2021, providing grants specifically for removing small dams and restoring Europe’s endangered rivers.