The project aims to identify, assess and map priority artificial barriers for removal in selected sub-catchments (Uzh, Stokhid, Upper Prypiat) of the Great Prypiat River catchment in Ukraine. The aim is to restore river continuity, fill data gaps on small-river barriers, and raise awareness among communities and decision-makers to support future river restoration efforts.
The Prypiat River is one of the major rivers in Eastern Europe, flowing through Ukraine and Belarus. It is the largest right-bank tributary of the Dnipro in terms of basin area, length, and water volume. Its right-hand tributaries – Upper Prypiat, Stokhid, and Uzh – form an extensive basin rich in meandering wetlands, lakes, and swamps that support diverse and valuable wildlife.
The study area covers more than 15,000 km². Key economic activities include agriculture, forestry, and manufacturing, while the river is used for water supply, irrigation, and industrial purposes. These rivers have a mixed water regime, primarily influenced by snowmelt. Natural and artificial barriers such as dams, small weirs, and irrigation canals are present throughout the catchments, which also host numerous species listed in national and international Red Data Lists.
| Project status | Live |
|---|---|
| Project type | Barrier identification and prioritisation |
| Country | Ukraine |
| River | Prypiat |
| Focal species | Eudontomyzon mariae, Leuciscus leuciscus, Alburnoides rossicus, Eupallasella percnurus, Carassius carassius, Lota lota, Gymnocephalus acerina, and Anguilla anguilla (Critically Endangered, IUCN Red List). These subcatchments are vital biodiversity hotspots, with wetlands home to mammals such as brown bear, European beaver, common muskrats, grey wolf, Eurasian lynx, European otters, and American minks; amphibians including smooth newt, great crested newt, European fire-bellied toad, European spadefoot toad, common toad, European green toad, European tree frog, pool frog, marsh frog, moor frog, and common frog; and reptiles such as European pond turtle. |
| Organisation | Danube-Carpathian Programme |
| Website | Prypiat River Restoration Project |
Despite the ecological importance of the Prypiat River – Europe’s largest wetland system – large sections of its basin have been heavily drained and fragmented by extensive barrier networks.
No prior surveys have identified abandoned or non-operational dams, leaving authorities without crucial data to guide restoration. This project provides an opportunity to map and prioritise barriers for removal in the most affected sub-catchments (Uzh, Stokhid, Upper Prypiat), restore connectivity of small rivers, and increase awareness of the benefits of barrier removal among decision-makers and the public.
A significant portion of the basin lies in Ukraine, where rewilding wetlands can also enhance natural defences along the Ukraine-Belarus border. Collaboration with basin authorities and the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone offers a unique chance to build capacity, gain experience in new environments, and lay the foundation for long-term, large-scale river restoration across the Prypiat catchment.
The project will take an important step towards restoring the ecological integrity of the Prypiat River basin by identifying and prioritising artificial barriers whose removal would reconnect fragmented waterways.
Preparatory research will gather and analyse data from inventories, maps, archives, satellite imagery, and local authorities to create the first comprehensive overview of hydraulic structures in the basin. Field surveys will verify barrier existence and condition, documenting them with drone imagery and detailed technical descriptions. Based on these findings, an open-access catalogue and interactive map will allow stakeholders to visualise barrier distribution and understand their impacts. An initial assessment of environmental, hydrological, and geomorphological effects will highlight sites where removal would deliver the greatest ecological benefit.
Engaging local communities and authorities through awareness activities and information campaigns will strengthen regional capacity for river restoration and build momentum for future removal of obsolete barriers across the Great Prypiat catchment.
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