Preparatory work and conducting necessary studies to enable the subsequent removal of four weirs from the Vâlsan River, home to the asprete species.
Vâlsan River, a second-order tributary of the Danube River, is located within Romania’s Southern Carpathian Mountains and is the only river in the world where the asprete species (Romanichthys valsanicola) survives. This critically endangered species (IUCN) is considered by many scientific articles to be the rarest freshwater fish in Europe. It is also the most representative species in the Vâlsan River basin.
Covering 348 km², the Vâlsan watershed hosts a high degree of biodiversity, with more than 300 protected plant and animal species. The Vâlsan Valley area has been designated as a Natura 2000 site, „ROSCI0268 Valea Vâlsanului”, to protect biodiversity and maintain the protected species of flora and fauna in a favourable state of conservation.
Additionally, the „Valea Vâlsanului” Nature Reserve (Code 2125) was established to help conserve more than 300 protected plant and animal species.
| Project status | Completed |
|---|---|
| Project type | Dam removal: pre-demolition |
| Country | Romania |
| River | Vâlsan River |
| Focal species | Asprete (Romanichthys valsanicola) |
| Organisation | Alex Găvan Foundation |
| Website | Asprete Lives |
Prior to the 1970s, the asprete population was distributed across the Argeș, Vâlsan, and Doamnei rivers within the Argeș River watershed. A key factor in the extirpation of the asprete from the Argeș and Doamnei rivers has been the construction of multiple dams, while weirs on the Vâlsan River now restrict the asprete to a few kilometres of its former range.
To help this species survive, urgent conservation action is needed to expand the asprete’s habitat connectivity by removing four weirs on the Vâlsan River. Removing these weirs will create much-needed space for the asprete and restore the functionality of this mountain river.
The organisation will complete the preparatory steps required to remove the four weirs located within the core range of the asprete. The linear home ranges of asprete are typically less than 300 metres, and removing these weirs will restore connectivity of up to 11 km of river, representing a critical increase in the availability of suitable habitat.
A detailed feasibility study and environmental impact assessments, supported by biotic and abiotic studies, will provide evidence for the strategic selection of solutions for weir removal and necessary mitigation measures. These will build on ongoing ecological and social surveys to support the conservation of the asprete.
General technical plans for removal will be developed as part of the feasibility study in consultation with authorities, providing clear scenarios for the removal of each weir and forming the basis for obtaining authorisations.
Participatory approaches, including workshops on dam removal (DR), will be used to engage authorities, engineers, and local communities. This will ensure sustained support for DR and that processes are fully understood and agreed upon by all stakeholders.
Objectives:
The Asprete Lives Project achieved a historic milestone in Romania by completing, for the first time, the full suite of technical and feasibility studies required for dam removal in a protected area—both a Nature Reserve (IUCN) and a Natura 2000 site. These included environmental impact assessments, hydrological and geotechnical surveys, technical plans, and cost assessments.
Through extensive stakeholder engagement and advocacy, the project increased institutional capacity, strengthened public understanding, and built long-term support for dam removal among national, regional, and local authorities—particularly in ecologically sensitive and inhabited areas.
High-level political support was secured with the Minister of Environment by visiting the site as well as signing a formal partnership.
A multi-disciplinary expert network was established, and gymnasium, secondary school, and university students as well as local residents were engaged through outreach and educational activities.
Three out of four targeted dams are put forward for removal, with mitigation plans in place for the fourth.
The outcomes and momentum generated make dam removal on the Valsan River expected to begin in early 2026 through a follow-on demolition grant from the programme.
The collaborative network of government institutions, specialists, and NGOs has laid the groundwork for a science-based, participatory model that sets a strong precedent for future freshwater restoration initiatives in Romania.
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