Removing two barriers leading to the opening up of 72 km of river.
The Pcinja River, the second largest left tributary of the Vardar River, flows through the northern part of the country, originating from the Bela Voda peak in the Dukat mountains in Serbia, a protected area. Stretching over 76 km, it is joined by the Kumanovska Reka on the right side and the larger tributary Kriva Reka on the left. Smaller tributaries include Dragomanska Reka, Petrosnica, and Luka rivers.
| Project status | Completed |
|---|---|
| Project type | Dam removal: demolition |
| Country | North Macedonia |
| River | Pcinja |
| Removal date | Summer 2025 |
| Km opened | 72 km |
| Focal species | Barbus balcanicus, Sabanejewia balcanica, Gobio balcanicus, Barbatula barbatula, Oxynoemacheilus bureschi, Alburnoides thessalicus, Chondrostoma vardarense, Squalius vardarensis, Rhodeus meridionalis, Vimba melanops |
| Organisation | Eko-svest |
| Website | ekosvest.com.mk |
Removing two barriers is expected to lead to improved water quality, enhanced migration routes for fish species, and facilitated sediment movement. Specifically, eliminating the Shuplji Kamen barrier will mitigate safety risks for the local population and promote recreational use of the river. This project will pioneer innovative river restoration practices, setting a precedent for future projects and influencing policy development in river management.
View programme-supported barrier identification and prioritisation project.
The goal is to achieve the first-ever dam removal in North Macedonia, targeting two barriers along the fragmented Pcinja River, which hosts over 40 weirs and barriers. Removing these barriers will significantly enhance the river’s free flow, covering over 70 km. With the proposed removal of the K_033 barrier on Kriva Reka and the P_02 barrier on Pcinja, we aim to establish a continuous flow over 72 km, constituting 48% of the total river length in North Macedonia. This action will facilitate fish migration and expand their habitat, addressing the absence of fish passes in upstream and downstream barriers. Despite the absence of existing management plans for the Pcinja River and its tributaries, this project will initiate the development of comprehensive management strategies driven by the upcoming Water Law aligned with the Water Framework Directive.
With the application of a methodology to map and identify best barriers for removal, Eko-svest completed the removal of two barriers, one on Kriva River (Pcinja’s tributary) and one on Pcinja river, resulting in the free flow of 72 km.
Although challenges were faced during project implementation, resulting in a delay in project completion, Eko-svest found the most effective way to collaborate with relevant institutions for the barrier removal. In addition, these are the first barrier removals in the country, and public opinion polls show a high rate (91%) of support for barrier removal on national level.
This project not only freed the rivers and enlarged the natural habitats for fish, it also contributed to better water quality and removed high safety risks to communities.
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