We are celebrating the removal of 100-ORP supported barriers in European rivers, reconnecting close to 1,500 kilometres of river habitat!
Although small and often “forgotten”, removing these barriers – now 104 – has reopened 1,490 kilometres of previously fragmented rivers, helping to preserve vital freshwater ecosystems across 18 countries.
The 100th programme-supported removal took place earlier this month in the Vindelälven catchment in northern Sweden. The Vindel River winds through the wild heart of a rare free-flowing river system protected as both a Natura 2000 site and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. In this remarkable setting, Rewilding Sweden led the removal of three of five barriers planned under a demolition project funded by the Open Rivers Programme. These removals have reconnected 102 kilometres of upstream river, with a further 11 kilometres expected once the remaining two barriers are taken down. Building on a previous pre-demolition grant from the programme, the removal of the Fräkentjärnsdammen, Mjösjödammet, Malsjödammen, Skvaltkvarn and Lappträskdammen dams will open more than 112 kilometres of river habitat in total.
Thanks to a rising movement to remove ageing and unnecessary river barriers, communities across the continent are seeing the return of healthier freshwater ecosystems. In 2024 alone, Europe saw a record-breaking 542 river barriers removed – the highest figure ever recorded. Of these, 60 were supported by the Open Rivers Programme, reflecting the organisation’s growing contribution to European river restoration efforts.
Mjösjödammet before removal © Rewilding Sweden
Mjösjödammet after removal © Rewilding Sweden
“We are delighted to have reached this milestone and are thankful to the dedication of the organisations and individuals that are working tirelessly to restore Europe’s degraded river systems,” said Jack Foxall, Executive Director at the Open Rivers Programme. “However, we still have a long way to go and there is much opportunity! We will support additional projects and enable many more dam removals in the coming years so that the ecological functioning is restored in more rivers across Europe.”
This achievement aligns with the ambitions of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, which sets legally binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems – among which the reconnection of 25,000 kilometres of free-flowing rivers – serving as a timely reminder of what can be achieved through collective climate action and targeted investment in nature restoration.
Despite this progress, Europe’s rivers are still among the most fragmented in the world. With over one million barriers blocking natural flows – tens of thousands of which are obsolete – a study conducted under the EU-funded AMBER project found that no catchments in Europe were free from artificial barriers and, on average, one barrier exists every 1.35 km. The negative impact of old and degraded barriers goes far beyond riverine ecosystems. By restricting the natural movement of water, wildlife and sediments, they disconnect rivers from floodplains and wetlands – weakening nature’s ability to buffer floods, store water, and adapt to change. As the effects of climate change intensify, these heavily regulated rivers leave communities vulnerable to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and water scarcity.
Manual preparations of the removal site – September 2025 © Rewilding Sweden
“The science is clear: restoring free-flowing rivers is one of the most effective ways to build climate resilience, yet one of the biggest obstacles to dam removal isn’t technical – it’s political will” said Pao Fernández Garrido, Senior Grants Manager at the Open Rivers Programme. “If governments are serious about meeting the Water Framework Directive and Nature Restoration Regulation targets, removing abandoned barriers must be prioritised in environmental agendas at national, regional and local levels. Every delay in policy action is a missed opportunity to safeguard rivers and people alike.”
As it reaches the 100-barrier milestone and sees a rise in dam removal applications, the Open Rivers Programme team looks ahead with optimism.
As one of the main drivers of the growing dam removal movement in Europe, the programme has supported 176 projects led by 91 organisations across 32 European countries. Funded by Arcadia, the programme has so far awarded €13.9 million, maintaining its commitment to supporting dam removal projects at every stage – from barrier identification and feasibility studies to demolition. Holding three funding calls per year, it invites public and non-profit organisations across Greater Europe to apply for grants supporting river restoration efforts.
