France: Biggest dam removal in European history started

Photo : Copyright Vincent M.

 

Sélune River, Normandy, France – In a historic moment for Europe’s rivers, the first, irreparable breach was made today in the 36 metre high Vezins Dam – kick-starting the biggest dam removal in Europe so far.

This landmark event is part of a long-term project to free the Sélune River, and bring salmon, eels and other wildlife back to the river and the famous bay of Mont-Saint-Michel – a UNESCO world heritage site and one of Europe’s prime tourist attractions.

Along the Sélune River in Normandy, the removal of two old, obsolete dams over the next two years – the Vezins and La Roche Qui Boit— will open up 90 km of river, improving water quality, allowing migratory salmon to return to their ancient spawning grounds and benefiting people and nature all along the river.

“The removal of the Vezins Dam signals a revolution in Europe’s attitude to its rivers: instead of building new dams, countries are rebuilding healthy rivers and bringing back biodiversity,” says Roberto Epple, president of European Rivers Network and 2018 Euronatur Award recipient. “Nature can recover remarkably quickly when dams are removed and I look forward to watching salmon swimming past Mont St Michel and spawning in the headwaters of the Sélune for the first time since my grandparents were young.”

Historically, the Sélune River was home to salmon that travelled from the river mouth, near Mont Saint Michel, upstream to mate and lay eggs. However, construction of these two dams stopped the salmon from migrating and this effectively stopped the recreational and commercial harvest of them as populations collapsed. The removal of these dams will help to bring more wildlife and biodiversity back to the river along with other recreational and touristic opportunities.

Artificial barriers (dams) are one of the biggest threats to river ecosystems, resulting in river fragmentation and loss of habitat connectivity. They stop the natural flow of sediments downstream and affect migratory fishes from travelling up- or downstream to complete their lifecycles. These impediments often lead to the decrease or decimation of native fish populations and can harbour other, non-native species in their adjacent impoundments. A new study in Naturerevealed just one-third of the world’s longest rivers remain free-flowing with river “fragmentation and flow regulation are the leading contributors to the loss of river connectivity.”

Globally, freshwater species populations have declined by 83% on average since 1970. The recently approved Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) reportspecifically recommends conserving and restoring river connectivity to boost freshwater biodiversity. As prescribed by the Water Framework Directive (WFD), each of Europe’s rivers must attain a ‘good’ ecological status and yet 40% of rivers fall short. Removal of old, obsolete dams is a viable option to help reach WFD goals, reconnect and restore rivers and allow fish populations and other wildlife to return and flourish. In fact, many countries in Europe are now removing dams as the economic, environmental and social benefits of doing so far outweigh the alternative of restoring the dam.

It is estimated that over 3,500 barriers have been removed across Europe including the biggest dam removal in Spain last year and an ongoing historical river restoration project in Estonia that will remove 8-10 dam and open up 3,300km of river basin. Moreover, European citizens are also donating funds to see these barriers go as a part of a larger dam removal crowdfunding campaign.

“There are tens of thousands of old, obsolete dams in Europe that can and should be removed,” says Arjan Berkhuysen, managing director of the World Fish Migration Foundation.  “We are hopeful that by removing not only big dams like this but also by removing small barriers through local efforts we can restore these important life sources.”

The unique project will measure the effects of dam removal with ten-years worth of environmental data.

More information :  https://www.ern.org/en/selune-libre/

Dowload Press Release here

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Notes for Editors:

Photographs of the dam and start of its removal are available here, please respect the copyrights.

Contact:
Roxanne Diaz, WFMF Communications Officer, Mob +31 (0) 6 18918786 Email: roxanne@fishmigration.org
Roberto Epple, Chairman ERN European Rivers Network / Friends of the Sélune, Mob. +33 6  08 62 12 67 , Email : roberto.epple@ern.org

Dam Removal Europe The Dam Removal Europe initiative aims to connect local dam removal projects, stakeholders and organizations to better highlight and disseminate the positive impacts dam removal provides for rivers. It is an initiative that allows relevant specialists share knowledge and inspire new visions for a free-flowing Europe. Dam Removal Europe better enables support and guidance for future dam removal projects under the umbrella of the European Dam Removal movement.

ERN European Rivers Network > www.ern.org  ERN is an NGO engaged in the preservation and sustainable management of water and rivers. ERN is based in France and is Freshwater-Partner of WWF France.

“Love Flows” : a beautiful film to involved people into the next World Fish Migration Day

This documentary directed by Francisco Campos-Lopez (award winning director) captures the stories of events from World Fish Migration Day 2018 and highlights the understanding of the impacts of dams and the people who are working to make positive differences for rivers. It aims to give these migratory fish a voice by showcasing the celebrations, knowledge, and great visions we have for our rivers.

In March 2019 the movie was selected for the Washington DC Environmental Film Festival.

Participate to the next WFMD on May 16, 2020 ! the objectif is to aiming for over 1000 events and open up rivers from local to global. Let’s do this together and create impact!

More info about WFMD

Watch the video

Large scale dam removal: “Selune Valley Revival”- International conference – FIRST CALL

European Rivers Network, the French Agency for Biodiversity, the national french Federation for Fishing, Dam Removal Europe  and the INRA announce the international conference on dam removal and renaturation of the Sélune river, from 24th to 26 September, 2019 in Brittany and Normandy (Mont Saint Michel).

The Sélune, coastal river, considered as the 3rd river of France in “Salmon potential”, now renaturing, will be at the heart of the conference and presented with different points of view (ecological, territory project, research program). This summer, the Vezins dam (36m high) will be removed making this project the biggest dam removal project in Europe. These huge works – which will be followed by the removal in 2021 of the La Roche-qui-boit dam (16m high), will improve the quality of the water into the bay of Mont St Michel and restore ecological continuity for more than 70 km of Selune river. It is an opportunity for the territory to create value with this river renaturated. The project has an important scientific monitoring program since more than 6 years (sociological, geomorphological and biological) allowing knowledge of the valley, helping the implementation and evaluation of the project.

3 days of conference will present a global vision of the policy of restoration of continuity in France and in Europe by highlighting the successes and the failures, the means implemented, the challenges and stakes to integrate and the research programs. Cases studies from Europe and US on dam removal and territorial projects compatible with a free flowing river will be shown.

Registration and practical info  : www.ern.org/en/colloque-international-selune/

This event is part of the internationals seminars regularly organized by the Dam Removal Europe platform co-founded by ERN – the next event will take place on 22 and 23 May in Estonia – and give the chance in Europe, France and the Sélune Basin to share knowledge and experiences on dam removal and projects enable the re-appropriation of the river space.

 

Partial removal of the Poutès dam (France) : Favorable opinion by the investigation Commissioner (public consultation)- Read the reaction by regional NGOs

Favorable opinion by the investigation Commissioner (public consultation). Regional NGOs support the project but ask for improvement of the project governance.
Read the french NGO  press release

20190304_CP_Poutes_FINAL

Partial dam removal of the Poutès dam : Last local public consultation open

for more information visite the official site of the consultation process (ends 28 december 2018) , in french only

Consultation “dossier d’enquête publique”, in french only
> Read our french press release 

> more information on the project (in english)

Poutès : watch the works planned 2019-2021

3 videos presenting the planned progress of the work (2019-2021) are online on the ERN website and the collaborative website of the New Poutès.
In 2019 the upper parts of the 3 gates will be dismantled and the exit of the fish elevator will be lowered to coincide with the new height of water in the reservoir.

The 21 of April it’s the “World Fish Migration Day” : participate

The World Fish Migration Day (WFMD) is a one day global celebration to create awareness on the importance of open rivers and migratory fish and it is coordinated by the World Fish Migration Foundation. On World Fish Migration Day organizations from around the world organize their own event around the common theme of: CONNECTING FISH, RIVERS AND PEOPLE. Many of these events are open to the public. By working together we create a greater driving force to raise awareness, share ideas and secure commitments.

Presse release :  french events on Loire basin – in french

All events on : https://www.worldfishmigrationday.com/events

 

Poutès Dam (France) : Major works in progress before partial dismantling of the dam

Since June the craft are busy in the reservoir of Poutès dam. The lowering of the water level of the reservoir made the Allier return to its former bed. The work in progress is part of phase 1 of the site and allows the sediments to be raised and stabilized in the upstream part of the reservoir.

Poutès dam (France) : the demolition and the reconfiguration process starts in june 2017

Please read our Pressrelease 10.022017 .- in french more information on the Poutès dam  

Imminent decision to start (or not) the partial removal of the symbolic Poutès dam

The decision to start (or not) the works to dismantel partially the very symbolic Poutès dam should be communicated february 8.
Last year EDF ( Electriciy de France, owner ) hast postboned the works. Our NGOs is expecting the start befor summer 2017.

Read the pressrelease 2016 by ERN-SOS Loire Vivante and others (in french inly)

 

more information (in french only)  :