Initiating the process of barrier identification in Türkiye

Introduction

The Eastern Black Sea Region and the Coruh Basin in Türkiye are part of the Caucasus ecoregion. The region is one of the 200 sensitive terrestrial ecoregions of the earth of particular importance in terms of biodiversity determined by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Conservation International evaluates it among the 36 hotspots of the earth with the most important and also the most threatened ecoregions.

The region is characterized by cliffs, coastal ecosystems, streams, agricultural areas, deciduous and deciduous forests, mixed high mountain forests, peatlands, high mountain meadows, and alpine lakes. Many rivers and streams have been dammed, but there are still tens of intact streams.

Project context and opportunity

The current project intends to explore the possibilities of freeing up rivers in northeastern Türkiye. The project aims to suggest candidate rivers and catchments to trigger and guide the discussion. During a preliminary field visit in October 2022, and based on local knowledge, two areas were tentatively identified. Technical data on rivers and catchments is generally available and often of very good quality, whilst information on flora and fauna is sometimes hard to come by. There are active fisheries research departments at local universities, and some limited fieldwork may be required. Amongst them, the members of the core group of this project have the skills and the network to find and use all existing data or gather crucial bits themselves.

Project aims

The project aims to

1. Carry out a limited survey (mainly desktop/GIS, complemented with field visits) to identify, list and prioritise suitable restorable stretches of Black Sea rivers in Türkiye;
2. Establish a coalition of the willing (incl. central and local authorities such as State Hydraulic Works [DSI, at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry], local stakeholders, and NGOs) which will agree on the where what and how of the first stretch of river to be restored;
3. Formalise the agreement for the first restoration and agree with partners on the next steps towards implementation.

Project achievements

The project aimed to address the lack of ecosystem restoration efforts through dam or barrier removal and the absence of free-flowing river concepts in Turkey’s river management schemes. The project team achieved several significant milestones:

• Engagement with governmental institutions: The team reached out to key governmental institutions responsible for water management in Turkey—the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) and the General Directorate of Water Management. After a series of meetings, both organisations expressed positive interest in the project’s aims.
• River stretch inventory: Project staff compiled an inventory of possible suitable river stretches by reviewing publicly available publications and interviewing experts, mainly from universities. This improved understanding was then discussed with the relevant institutions.
• Fieldwork and mapping: An external fish expert conducted fieldwork at two agreed-upon areas, and an external GIS expert produced detailed maps.
• Community and stakeholder engagement: The project team discussed its intentions with local residents and relevant stakeholders, including mayors, village heads, and NGO representatives.
• Pre-feasibility study: All collected information was compiled and analyzed, leading to an initial shortlist of two suitable river stretches for restoration work. The pre-feasibility study identified a stretch of river in Northeast Turkey with the following characteristics:
  • It still supports at least one species of migrating trout.
  • It has been modified over the last few decades, but a large part of its upper reaches remains intact, with the surrounding sub-basin landscapes being largely wild and pristine.
  • With minor interventions, a 22.6-kilometer stretch could be restored to allow natural fish migration.
  • It was chosen by DSI to serve as an example of its good intentions and was fitted with two fish ladders.
  • It lacks an overall management or restoration sub-basin plan.
• Support and collaboration: Initial talks with authorities indicated minimal support would be needed for physical construction work, but guidance and help would be required to execute a coherent hydrological and ecological study and planning.

YAD concluded that the Kopruler (a.k.a. Bulanik) sub-basin is an ideal location for initiating Turkey’s first medium-scale river restoration project. The proposed next phase involves developing a full feasibility study and represents a significant step forward for river restoration in Turkey.