The removal of one dam in Finland’s most significant rapids area - Palokki in the Vuoksi watershed - aims to preserve the area’s extensive biodiversity, protect the habitats of the endangered Lake Saimaa fish species, and restore the area’s original magnificent landscapes.
When restored, the Palokki rapids will consist of eleven rapids: Sahakoski, Hapatoskoski, Kissakoski, Saunakoski, Koivuvirta, Nänvirta, Ala-Kallioinen, Lapinkoski, Taivalkoski left, Taivalkoski right, and Patoonkoski, along with eleven streams. There will be 33-40 hectares of free spawning areas for Brown trout of Heinävesi route and land-locked salmon of Saimaa. The dam removal will free over 1,500 kilometres of stream channels. The lake and river area where Palokki is located is known as the Heinvesi route, which belongs to Finland’s 27 national landscapes.
This project builds on the developments achieved through a previous Open Rivers Programme grant.
| Project status | Live |
|---|---|
| Project type | Dam removal: demolition |
| Country | Finland |
| River | Palokki |
| Removal date | 2028-2029 |
| Km to be opened | 1,523 km |
| Focal species | Brown trout of Heinävesi route, land-locked salmon of Saimaa |
| Organisation | Itä-Suomi Unioni ry, WWF Finland and the Municipality of Heinävesi |
| Website | Palokki project - Itä-Suomi Unioni ry |
The Palokki rapids were harnessed in 1961 for electricity production for a nearby copper mine. The construction of the dam in the Nänvirta rapid in the Palokki river destroyed the spawning route of the highly endangered Brown trout of the Heinvesi route, as well as rapids suitable for spawning areas for salmonids in the largest lake system in Finland, the Vuoksi watershed.
The damage to fish stocks caused by the power plant dam is enormous. Brown trout (Salmo trutta) and Land-locked salmon (Salmo salar) are currently classified as highly or extremely endangered. The removal of the dam and restoration of the rapids would create significant potential for the return of juvenile production and vitality of these endangered salmonids.
Demolition of the Palokki dam would free up to 1,500 kilometres of stream channels. The release of the rapids alone would cover a large part of Finland’s target in the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. Additionally, this restoration would have a significant positive effect on domestic and international travel and tourism, bringing vitality to Eastern Finland’s regional development, especially through growing fishing and nature tourism. The construction works will also provide a considerable number of jobs and contracts for regional enterprises.
According to an expert report commissioned by the Fisheries Authority POSELY, 11 rapids and an equal number of other production areas can be restored in Palokki, covering up to 3340 hectares. Thanks to the considerable average flow of 21.0 m³/s, the Palokki rapids can produce 19,000-32,000 salmonid smolts when free, enabling the restoration of the natural life cycle for both Brown trout and land-locked salmon in the Vuoksi watershed.
By dismantling a single dam, a free migration route of over 1,500 km will be created, extending upstream to Juojärvi, Rikkavesi, and Vaikkojoki with their tributaries. Downstream, all the large backwaters of Lake Saimaa, all the way to the city of Lappeenranta, await salmonids arriving on their feeding migration. The 11-river rapids route in this national landscape is precisely the kind of attraction that Finnish nature tourism needs, particularly in Eastern Finland, which has suffered due to the closure of the eastern border.
The purpose of the Palokki project is therefore to promote the removal of dams and the restoration of rapids in Finland’s most significant rapids and lake area, and thus enable many positive impacts on the regional economy.
Funded by
