Don’t wait any longer to submit your dam removal projects to the Open Rivers program. By 2029, the goal is to fund more than 500 dam removals and reopen more than 5,000 km of waterways. Let’s help them reach this goal.
Watch or rewatch our May 5 webinar, which introduces the program and the application form
ERN can help you prepare and submit your project — contact us
Led by various local stakeholders, including river conservation groups, associations, and municipalities, several rivers will have their flow restored this year. The obstacles being removed are quite varied (water crossings, old weirs, and impoundments on waterways) but all involve rivers of heritage significance:
– The Lignon (43): removal of a ruined weir led by the SISMAE association; learn more about the project
– The Souvigne (19) and the Branugues (15): two removal projects are led by the Syndicat Mixte Dordogne Moyenne et Cère Aval; learn more about the project on the Souvigne and on the Branugues
– The Gave d’Azun (65): removal of the first two obstacles located at the confluence with the Gave de Pau, led by the Municipality of Argelès-Gazost and the 65 Fishing Federation; learn more about the project
– The Daronne (07): reconfiguration of the Sibila municipal road crossing, led by the Syndicat Mixte du Bassin Versant du Doux; learn more about the project
– The Boivre (86): removal of two obstacles, including a pond near the springs. Five other structures will be removed in 2027. This initiative is led by the Syndicat du Clain Aval; learn more about the project
This exhibition, organized by SOS Loire Vivante – ERN with support from the Loire-Bretagne Water Agency as part of the Haut-Allier territorial contract, invites you to follow the journey of rocks and grains of sand from the headwaters of the Allier to the Atlantic Ocean. You’ll learn about their role in how rivers function and the vital role that flooding plays in maintaining healthy rivers. You’ll see how human activities can disrupt sediment transport. Many restoration projects are possible, from upstream to downstream, and have in fact been carried out on the Allier and the Loire. Come check out the six panels! (in french only) :
Panel 1: Discovering Sediments
Panel 2: From the Mountains to the Ocean
Panel 3: “From Station to Station” to the Rhythm of Floods…
Panel 4: The River: The Largest Sand Transport Company!
Panel 5: A Journey Full of Pitfalls…
Panel 6: Letting Travelers Pass
View the exhibition in PDF ; a printed version on an 85×200 roll-up banner is available for loan upon request—please contact us
 Le projet de loi visant à relancer les investissements dans « la grande hydroélectricité » est en cours d’adoption. Ce texte vise à réformer le régime juridique des concessions hydroélectriques et faire cesser le contentieux européen.Pour nous expliquer ce qui va changer Marie-Noëlle Battistel (SOC, Isère) et Philippe Bolo (Dem, Maine-et-Loire), viendront nous présenter le projet de loi en rappelant le cadre, les implications pour les installations du territoire, les éventuels points encore en discussions et les problématiques que cela soulève.Programme : 45 min. de présentations , 45 min. Questions & RéponsesAnimation : Roberto Epple, Président SOS Loire Vivante – ERN et Corinne Ronot co-directrice SOS Loire VIvante=ERN
les questions essentielles qui seront abordées :– Quelles sont les différences entre le régime de concessions et les futures ‘autorisations’ – Quel est le parc d’équipement concerné, les concessions en cours sont-elles également concernées ? – Quelle sera la gouvernance lors du changement de régime de chaque installation ? et pendant la phase d’exploitation ? – L’Etat restera-t-il le propriétaire des barrages ? – Quelle est la contrepartie pour l’Europe ? % d’énergie revendu ? à quel prix, à qui ? – Est-ce une opportunité de réduire les impacts environnementaux des installations sur les milieux aquatiques ? Comment, Pourquoi ? les panelistes (des représentants d’ONG, en cours d’invitation) viendront aussi poser leurs questions. Si vous avez des questions complémentaires vous pouvez les envoyer à corinne.ronot (at)rivernet.org avant le 4 mai 2026. Elles seront compilées et relayées aux intervenants et panélistes sous réserve d’acceptation
Cet évènement s’adresse à un public large : gestionnaires des milieux aquatiques, ONG, services de l’Etat, citoyens. Il a le soutien financier de l’OFB et participe aux actions du centre de ressource cours d’eau |
Venez y découvrir les appels à projet de Open Rivers Programme. Celui-ci finance des effacements d’obstacles transversaux en rivière partout en Europe.
Collectivités, Syndicats de rivières, associations sont éligibles. Prochain dépôt de candidatures possible du 1er au 26 juin 2026.
Webinaire organisé par ERN avec le soutien de l’OFB et de Open Rivers Programme
Pendant 1 h : Présentation du Programme, retour d’expérience, conseils pour bien préparer sa candidatures, Q&R, animé par Corinne Ronot, ERN
On February 18, a group of associations representing the three pillars of the European Water Resilience Strategy published an open letter opposing the revision of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) announced by the European Commission for the second quarter of 2026.
The signatories, including environmental NGOs and stakeholders in the water sector, warn of the risk of weakening the text, even though its implementation remains incomplete in many Member States. “Rather than revising the WFD, its implementation must be accelerated,” they argue, emphasizing its crucial role in protecting ecosystems, food security, and adaptation to climate change.
The letter warns against premature revision, which could be motivated by industrial pressure, particularly to facilitate the extraction of raw materials. The associations call on the Commission to maintain a stable legal framework and to prioritize the application of existing rules.
Our nature and our health are under attack. European laws that guaranteed clean water, pure air and diverse ecosystems, including the Water Framework Directive, are being quietly dismantled under the pretext of ‘simplification’ and ‘reducing red tape’.
More infos about the petition launched by the European NGO coalition #HandsOffNature, which requires our national and European leaders to uphold laws that protect people and nature.
Together, let’s protect the EU law on Water!
Petition :
The Balkans, the last refuge for Europe’s wild rivers, are losing a little more of their natural heritage every year.
A recent hydromorphological assessment reveals that nearly 2,500 km of pristine rivers in the Balkans have disappeared since 2012, causing the proportion of near-natural rivers to fall from 30% to 23%. Albania, which is leading this decline, is suffering the consequences of the expansion of hydroelectric dams and river development.
Despite the protection of 900 km of rivers, efforts remain insufficient. Experts and associations involved in the “Save the Blue Heart of Europe” campaign are calling for stronger measures at national and European level to save these unique ecosystems before it is too late.
Check out the interactive map to learn more about the state of Balkan rivers.
26 February 2026 | 10:00 am CET | in English
Join three European research projects for a one-hour webinar on how water pricing and other economic instruments can help river basins become more resilient. Discover concrete examples from across Europe that illustrate how to integrate environmental externalities and support integrated and adapted water management in the context of climate change
ERN France
8 rue Crozatier
43000 Le Puy en Velay
+33 (0)4.71.05.57.88
ERN is the official WWF Freshwater Partner in France and cooperates with WWF Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands and others
C.Larroque ERN 2017