Restoring connectivity in the upper and middle courses of the Gradac River.
The Gradac River and its upper course are designated as a watercourse with notable hydrographic features, hydrogeological characteristics of its catchment area, and essential, life-sustaining importance for the local population. The sedimentation barriers in question (Z1 and G3) are located within the protected area Gradac River Gorge – Landscape of Exceptional Features, categorised as a Category II protected area.
As outlined in the official protection decision, the area is characterised by pronounced hydrographic and hydrogeological features of the catchment, as well as habitats for rare and endangered plant and animal species. Based on existing biodiversity data, the river hosts many strictly protected and protected plant and animal species.
Due to the lack of publicly available, accurate data on aquatic species populations, an updated ecosystem assessment will be required. It will support understanding of the cumulative impacts on the Gradac River system, both upstream and downstream, including its tributaries.
| Project status | Live |
|---|---|
| Project type | Dam removal: pre-demolition |
| Country | Serbia |
| River | Upper and middle course of the Gradac River |
| Focal species | Salmo trutta (brown trout), Cottus gobio (European bullhead), Phoxinus phoxinus (Eurasian minnow), Leuciscus cephalus (chub), Cobitis elongata, Alburnoides bipunctatus, Cobitis aurata, Gobio gobio (gudgeon), Alburnus alburnus (bleak), Barbus meridionalis (southern barbel), Austropotamobius torrentium (stone crayfish) |
| Organisation | Ecological Association Rzav |
| Website | www.rzavmojareka.org.rs |
Recent water quality analyses indicate that the ecological status of the river is currently good. However, maintaining this favourable status requires eliminating or mitigating pressures within the basin, including removing sediment barriers that have also endangered the rural road and disrupted communication in that direction for the local population.
In the case of the barriers concerned, the main cause of deformations along the bank, in the riverbed and on the road itself is the choice of an inadequate cross-section during construction, which has compromised structural stability, caused upstream sediment accumulation, erosion along the rural road and undermining of slopes. Nearby rural households, as well as upstream and downstream ecosystems that form part of a protected area of high ecological value, are threatened.
The river morphology has been disrupted, the composition of the riverbed altered, the structure of the bank affected and the biodiversity of the river system negatively impacted.
The strategy for assessing the integrity of all components of biodiversity in the aquatic habitat, which will enable future monitoring of the ecological state after the removal of the barriers in question, together with the process of collecting permits and conditions from the competent authorities and the activities necessary for preparing technical documentation for the removal and profiling of the riverbed afterwards, represents the creation of the conditions required before their removal.
Their removal will contribute to the restoration of the local rural road that was damaged by the impact of one of the barriers and will allow the unhindered passage of residents. Moreover, the river itself will benefit from 75 km of continuous free flow, creating optimal conditions for the movement and connectivity of aquatic populations throughout the river system. Improving or maintaining the ecological health of the Gradac River catchment is essential to achieving these long-term protection goals.
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