The project focuses on preparatory work - including ground-truthing, hiring consultants for technical and cultural assessments, securing permits, and planning for the removal of five dams in the Vindelälven catchment to restore river connectivity and improve fish migration.
The Vindelälven River is one of Sweden’s last remaining free-flowing rivers and is designated as a Natura 2000 site. Stretching approximately 450 km from its source in the Scandinavian mountains to its confluence with the Umeälven River before entering the Baltic Sea, the Vindelälven and its tributaries provide crucial spawning and nursery habitats for migratory fish such as anadromous trout (Salmo trutta) and grayling (Thymallus thymallus).
Within the catchment, the Rödån and Hjukån tributaries are interrupted by a series of barriers that alter natural flows, obstruct fish passage, and degrade aquatic biodiversity. The dams targeted in this project – Blåkullträskdammen, Selsmyrdammen, Hålvattsdammen, Kvarnsvedjan, and Lillträskdammen – are obsolete structures that fragment ecosystems and hinder species recovery.
| Project status | Live |
|---|---|
| Project type | Dam removal: pre-demolition |
| Country | Sweden |
| River | Rödån and Hjuksån tributaries - Part of Vindel River catchment |
| Focal species | Anadromous Trout, greyling, burbot, pike, perch |
| Organisation | Rewilding Sweden |
| Website | Rewilding Sweden |
The Vindelälven catchment presents a rare opportunity to restore a landscape long shaped by human activity. While the mainstem river remains free-flowing, many of its tributaries are still impacted by old timber-floating dams, small hydropower infrastructure, and historical land-use changes. These factors continue to impair water flow, block aquatic connectivity, and diminish ecological health.
This project is part of a wider, long-term rewilding effort across the catchment. It links dam removal with complementary work such as restoring straightened or damaged channels, rewetting drained wetlands, and enhancing riparian forests. Together, these interventions support the return of dynamic, healthy ecosystems that benefit both biodiversity and people.
The primary goal of this phase is to prepare for the removal of five disused dams in the Vindelälven catchment to restore natural river flow and reconnect migratory routes for key species such as trout and grayling. The focus is on fulfilling all necessary legal, technical, and cultural prerequisites to make the sites ready for physical removal.
Expected outcomes include:
Completion of hydrological, sediment transport, structural, and cultural heritage assessments
All necessary permits and legal approvals secured
Landowner agreements and strengthened community support
A phased removal plan, including cost estimates and monitoring strategies
Once removal is implemented, approximately 88 km of river will be reconnected along the Rödån and Hjukån tributaries – restoring upstream habitats and contributing significantly to the ecological recovery of the wider Vindelälven system.
Funded by
