A pilot dam removal in the Yagolrlyk River Basin, Ukraine

Introduction

The Trostyanets is a small river and a tributary of the Yagorlyk River, part of the transboundary Dniester River basin. It is located in the northern part of the Odessa Region (southern Ukraine), flowing through the territorial communities of Kuialnyk and Okny, and partially through the Republic of Moldova. The river is highly regulated and fragmented.

The section proposed for restoration was selected by the project team following a survey conducted in 2023. The small dam targeted for removal disrupts the river’s flow by holding back water in a pond used for watering purposes. Currently, the pond is oligohaline and overgrown with emergent vegetation. According to the 2023 survey, the hydro-ecological indicators in this section were the poorest among all sampled locations in the Yagorlyk River basin.

Project context and opportunity

This project is a logical continuation of a programme launched in 2020 with the aim of ecological restoration in the Yagorlyk River basin, to which the Trostyanets River belongs, as part of a large-scale initiative to ensure integrated water resources management in the transboundary Dniester River basin.

An ORP-funded study conducted by the project team in 2023 resulted in the Dam Removal and River Restoration Plan for the Yagorlyk River Basin, providing a scientifically sound foundation for further dam removal and ecological restoration efforts. The participatory approach to the development of the plan ensures local community involvement and support for the dam removal action on the Trostyanets River, which we plan to implement to demonstrate the benefits of revitalising the river.

This initiative aims to encourage local communities within the Yagorlyk River basin to proceed with making both rivers as free-flowing as possible.

Project aims

The project aims to demolish a small dam and carry out ecological restoration in the Trostyanets River, a tributary of the Yagorlyk River, as a pilot project within the Yagorlyk River basin. It will strictly adhere to the pre-demolition procedures stipulated by Ukrainian legislation, providing a model for small dam removal and demonstrating the ecological and social benefits of a free-flowing river. The project also seeks to encourage further dam removal in the Yagorlyk River basin and small rivers across Ukraine.

The organisation expects to:

• Stop stagnation and waterlogging along 1.4 km of the Trostyanets River, restore 15 km of free-flowing river, improve water quality, reduce evaporation losses from the water surface and reed floodplains, and create favourable conditions for the restoration of flood meadows along the riverbed.
• Lay the groundwork for further dam removal and ecological restoration in the Trostyanets River and the Yagorlyk River basin by adhering to the pre-demolition procedures required by Ukrainian legislation and raising awareness among local government and other key stakeholders.
• Encourage dam removal in other small rivers across Ukraine by providing a practically tested algorithm for dam removal.