The “Free the Rivers!” project removes artificial barriers to reconnect Swiss rivers and streams, restoring their natural flow and creating vital habitats for native biodiversity.
Switzerland’s rivers and streams are the lifelines of its landscapes but are severely fragmented by over 170,000 artificial barriers such as weirs, drop structures, and small dams. The Open Rivers Programme supports five dam removal projects led by the project’s team. In the Canton of Schwyz, four barriers will be removed in the Alp, opening up habitat that may even be accessible to salmon again in the future. The small but valuable cold streams Tobelbach, Altbach, and the Thur in the Canton of Zürich are becoming increasingly important as the climate warms, providing essential refuge for fish. The Ruederchen in the Canton of Aargau is a small but highly valuable stream that provides spawning ground for brown trout.
All these rivers are crucial for native fish species like the nase, grayling, and brown trout, and connect to larger river systems that ultimately feed into the Rhine basin.
| Project status | Live |
|---|---|
| Project type | Enabling others to remove dams |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Removal dates | 2025 - 2027 |
| Rivers | Alp, Tobelbach, Altbach, Thur, Ruederchen |
| Km to be opened | 19 km |
| Focal species | European bullhead, brown trout, salmon, nase, grayling |
| Organisations | Aqua Viva |
| Website | Free the Rivers! |
Decades of river fragmentation have left many Swiss fish species on the brink of extinction, with barriers every 650 m on average. While Switzerland has advanced legislation for river revitalisation, practical implementation of longitudinal connectivity is often overlooked. This project targets barriers whose removal will restore kilometres of free-flowing rivers, enhance biodiversity and fish migration, and strengthen climate resilience.
By combining barrier removal with strong collaboration between authorities, NGOs, local communities and innovative tools like the Barrier Assessment Tool (BAT), the project creates scalable examples for removing obsolete structures and restoring free-flowing rivers.
The concrete goals for each removal project supported by ORP vary:
Alp (SZ): A preliminary project will be carried out to determine the best solution for removing multiple barriers.
Tobelbach (ZH): Ten barriers will be removed between 2025 and 2026; the project’s team will use this site to showcase pragmatic practices.
Altbach (ZH): A 0.8 m high weir will be removed in 2025, with a short film highlighting the success.
Thur (ZH): A preliminary project will develop the best approach for barrier removal and revitalisation of the entire area, in close cooperation with several NGOs.
Ruederchen (AG): A preliminary study will be commissioned for removing four consecutive barriers, eventually opening valuable spawning grounds for brown trout.
Alongside the removal work, the project’s team actively raises awareness of river connectivity through lobbying at cantonal and national levels, guided excursions for adults, and up to ten educational days per year for children.
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