Reconnecting Europe’s rivers
Across Europe, hundreds of thousands of barriers – such as dams, weirs and culverts – fragment our rivers, blocking the natural flow of water, sediment and wildlife. The consequences are far-reaching – for wildlife and people alike. Weakened ecosystems, declining water quality, and increased exposure to floods and drought make free-flowing rivers not just a conservation priority, but a shared human concern.
With many of these barriers – over 150,000 – considered obsolete, abandoned or no longer fulfilling any function, their removal is one of the fastest ways to restore river connectivity, recover freshwater ecosystems, and strengthen resilience to climate change.
The Open Rivers Programme funds the full removal of small longitudinal barriers across Greater Europe. Supported by the Arcadia Fund, we are currently the largest private funder of dam removal in Europe.
By 2029, our ambition is to have supported the removal of 500 barriers and the reconnection of 5,000 kilometres of river.
We fund projects during the entire removal process, from early-stage barrier identification and prioritisation, through pre-demolition preparatory studies, to the physical demolition of barriers. A description of our grant categories can be found here.
The Open Rivers Programme runs three calls for applications each year. Our grants are open to non-profit organisations, including NGOs and angling associations, as well as public entities such as municipalities and natural parks, with specific funding requirements. Full eligibility criteria are listed in our Information Guide for applicants.
If you want to remove a barrier in your river, we invite you to apply for a grant in our next call for applications. Consult the application calendar in this page.
Footage featured in this video was sourced from projects supported by the Open Rivers Programme. We are sincerely grateful to our dedicated grantees and partners.
