The project aims to restore connectivity in the south-western Carpathians, building on years of collaboration with local communities and stakeholders. By laying the groundwork for dam removal across the region, the project team intends to support the recovery of critical habitats and the migration of endangered species.
This project focuses on roughly 1,000 km of tributaries in the Middle Olt River Basin (Cibin, Hârtibaciu, Sebeș, Arpaș, Sâmbăta, Săliște and Viștea), which link the country’s central mountainous area with its hilly region. These tributaries support a rich diversity of aquatic species, including those protected under European and national legislation, such as the European bullhead and Ukrainian brook lamprey, as well as species of economic interest such as brown trout, barbel and common nase.
| Project status | Live |
|---|---|
| Project type | Barrier identification and prioritisation |
| Country | Romania |
| River | Olt |
| Focal species | Cottus gobio (European bullhead), Barbus petenyi (Mountain barbel), Rhodeus amarus (European bitterling), Sabanejewia balcanica (Balkan golden loach), Eudontomyzon mariae (Ukrainian brook lamprey), Romanogobio vladykovi (Danube whitefin gudgeon), Salmo trutta (brown trout), Barbus barbus (barbel), Chondrostoma nasus (common nase), Lutra lutra (European otter), Castor fiber (Eurasian beaver) |
| Organisation | Asociația Studenților Ecologi ASECO |
| Website | Middle-Olt River Dam Inventory |
Despite the Middle Olt Basin’s ecological and socioeconomic importance, the impact of barriers within the basin remains poorly documented. The OWBA maintains an outdated database lacking information on weirs, culverts and other obstructions, as well as their effects on hydrology and biodiversity. This project addresses a significant knowledge gap by creating a comprehensive inventory of barriers along the tributaries to provide a foundation for tackling habitat fragmentation and ecosystem degradation caused by existing structures.
By systematically assessing barriers and prioritising them for future removal, the project will form a first step towards restoring connectivity, facilitating species migration and enabling the recovery of ecologically valuable habitats. The structured identification and prioritisation process will strengthen the OWBA database, supplying key information on barrier locations, conditions and ecological impact, and offering scientific support for any future removal efforts.
As a barrier identification and prioritisation project, this initiative will focus on mapping and prioritising barriers across the tributaries of the Middle Olt catchment. The team expects to identify numerous small to medium-sized obstacles such as weirs, culverts and micro-hydropower structures, typically 1-3 metres high but impassable to fish. Although the number of dams upstream and downstream is currently unknown, this inventory will guide future removal efforts.
Based on initial expectations, between three and five barriers may prove suitable for removal in a subsequent phase, potentially reconnecting 30-50 km of fragmented river habitat. This would benefit key species including brown trout, Carpathian barbel, lampreys and European bullhead.
The project will therefore create the essential baseline for long-term restoration across the Olt tributaries, strengthening regional capacity for evidence-based barrier removal and contributing to healthier, more connected freshwater ecosystems.
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