Aschach River Austria. Photo by Eggar, WWF Austria. European Open Rivers Programme.
European Open Rivers Programme
The Open Rivers Programme, hosted by Stichting Open Rivers, awards grants for the removal of redundant dams, weirs and other river barriers across Europe, in order to allow rivers to flow naturally and biodiversity to flourish.
There are over one million barriers on European rivers, making them some of the most fragmented and degraded in the world. The programme’s vision is to create free-flowing rivers with healthy, diverse, and connected ecosystems, which are enjoyed, valued, and protected by the communities that depend on them. It funds projects which help preparations for dam removal as well as demolition works.
Since it started in 2022 the programme has awarded 196 grants. The Open Rivers Programme awards grants on an ad-hoc basis. Calls for applications and deadlines can be found on their online portal.
Project examples
Bayurivka dam removal
The Open Rivers Programme provided support to WWF-Ukraine to remove a 120-year-old dam deep in the Carpathian Mountains, one of the few places in Europe with true wilderness remaining. Despite the war with Russia, WWF-Ukraine successfully completed the project in 2022 and restored the flow in 27 km of river. Protected fish species can now return upstream to their traditional spawning grounds, and species like brown bears and otters will also benefit from the restored habitat.
Scotton weir removal
The programme funded the largest weir removal in the UK to date by providing support to the Wild Trout Trust to remove the 75m wide and 4m high Scotton Weir. The removal reconnected 35km of river and tributaries on the River Nidd in Yorkshire, England. The programme expects that the removal will function as a catalyst for additional removals along the river.