The partial removal of the Poutès dam enters in the decisive phase.

The partial dam removal (New Poutès) on the upper Allier river (Loire tributary) enters in the decisive phase. The three big gates, each weighing 30 tons, are being dismantled. The unic and spectacular operation takes place under the eyes of all the regional media. The deconstruction including the lowering of the dam from 17m to 6.8m will end in 2021. The removal takes time because the up and downstream migration of the salmon un must be respected. For more information visit our dedicated pages

Photo : EDF





40 % of Vezin Dam Remova completed l
The largest european dam removal is under way. 40 % of the 37 m dam are dismanteld today.


Photos and videos are availabe on demande.


Normally the removal the dam itselfs will be completed end of september, just in time with the international dam removal seminary helt in Rennes and Avranchen (Mont Saint Michel) September 24- 26 organised  by ERN and its partners.


More on the the Sélune dam removals


Logo ERN, petit format
UK : Whaley Bridge dam  – Work to prevent  from bursting is continuing (BBC)
Work to prevent a damaged dam in Derbyshire from bursting is continuing as the Met Office warns of thunderstorms and possible flooding.


Workers have been pumping water out of the 300-million-gallon Toddbrook Reservoir near Whaley Bridge.


Extra pumps are being installed to speed up the work and contractors are putting concrete between bags of ballast placed on the dam wall.


But the risk of collapse remains at a “critical level”.


> https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-49217887


> https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-derbyshire-49201467


Rhine : Commission urges FRANCE to step up efforts to restore the ecological flow of the Rhine River
Photo : Copyright EDF


 


Commission urges FRANCE to step up efforts to restore the ecological flow of the Rhine River


The Commission is calling on Franceto comply with its obligations under EU law (the Water Framework Directive, Directive 2000/60/EC. The Commission urges the French authorities to improve the condition of the Rhine River on its territory to ensuring ecological continuity, namely allowing fish species to migrate beyond dams. Under the Directive, adopted in October 2000, Member States agreed to take measures to ensure that water bodies achieve good ecological status by 2015. EU countries have to comply with a number of conditions set out in the EU legislation, regarding biodiversity, pollution, and natural flow. The deadline may be extended under certain conditions, but the Commission is concerned that France has not provided sufficient justifications for postponing the date of compliance. In addition, the French authorities have not provided a timetable with a programme for meeting these EU norms. France now has two months to address the Commission’s concerns. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to send a reasoned opinion.


https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/EN/INF_19_4251


Remember : ERN supported by the international Salmon Comeback Coalition (NGOs)  filed an EU complaint against France end of 2018 . ERNs complaint is directed at France due to the infringement of the Water Frame Directive


> Visite the salmoncomeback Campaign Website


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RIVERS in the spotlight in the latest issue of RELIEFS magazine
Magazine RELIEFS – Cover n°9, dedicated to the rivers


Do you know the French Magazine “Reliefs” ? His latest issue (9) is devoted to the rivers!

Contents : anatomy and pathologies of the rivers, living with the river, shared rivers: awakening upstream, interview with Erik Orsenna, illustrated literary extracts, endangered species, the longest rivers in the world, river turbines , tidings, reading tips, movies, music …


ERN France, through its president, R. Epple, had the honor and the pleasure of writing the forum, which you can find on line at (in French only) : https://reliefseditions.com/fleuves/


As always, the Reliefs folder is extended in old maps, notebooks, serigraphs, prints and educational coloring on fauna and flora. >> Read more about Reliefs magazine


 


Ecological continuity on the Rhine : France singled out at the ICPR !


Cliquer sur l’image pour agrandir




Despite some interesting proposals made by France at the plenary meeting of the ICPR (International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine), held on 4-5 July 2019, the long series of promises not kept by France (and by EDF) continues …


The great novelty is the proposal to restore ecological continuity by favoring the “loops” (Schlingen) of the old Rhine which bypass the large dams Rhinau, Marckolsheim and Vogelgrün, all impassable in both directions to this day. In the loops, France will erase, circumvent or equip the small ‘agricultural’ weyrs dams aswell as the dams who controles the waterflow.




If this proposal could make it possible to establish quickly the connection with German tributaries favorable to the reproduction of salmon, it seems unrealistic on the calendar side, and especially not enough to allow the access of the salmon to Basel as promised for 2020. Indeed, despite the French promises to increase the flow in the hydraulic annexes, the majority of migratory fish will always seek to use the canal where the flow is the most important.


The Delegations of Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, as well as many NGOs (observers) , reacted strongly to this proposal by accusing France of wanting to escape the equipment of the large dams themselves, or of push him back to 2043 at best.


Following the reactions It is not understandable that France gives up its promises to equip large dams as soon as possible. It is essential to restore fish continuity both in the main channel of the canal and in the hydraulic annexes. The question should be decided at the Ministerial Conference of the countries bordering the Rhine in Amsterdam, Spring 2020. This retreat of France may undermine the Rhine Plan 2040 currently being drafted.




To learn more about restoring ecological continuity on the Rhine, visit Salmon Comeback






Great 2019 Big Jump ! We are approaching 100 events. More to come !
Great 2019 Big Jump ! We are approaching 100 events. More to come !


Dear friend of the Big Jump Idea and the rivers allover in Europe and arround,


This year, we are approaching 100 events. It is a good participation for a regional edition which is a kind of training for the next large size BJ in 2021. Thank you for your engagement !


In 2020, another regional edition will take place, which date will be communicate in next september


PS: We now that many more non registered events have been organised. Please send us all locations as well as some photos!


your ERN – Big Jump Team


www.bigjump.org


Wave of protest against Balkan dam building frenzy






This post is a joint press release by Riverwatch und EuroNatur


“++ First ever international Action Weeks for Balkan rivers ++ People took to the streets in many countries of the Balkan region ++ They protested against the destruction of the last wild river landscapes in Europe ++








Radolfzell, Vienna. 18. July 2019 – From July 6 to 16, 2019 around 1000 people took part in protests in Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Greece against hydropower expansion on the Balkan rivers. With banners and posters, they walked through the centres of their capitals or gathered for full-throated protests along their rivers. Sometimes the demonstrators brought drinking water from their communities to draw attention to the threat hydropower expansion poses to their basis of life. The protests were organised by local partner organisations of the nature conservation organisations EuroNatur and Riverwatch, who jointly coordinate the ‘Save the Blue Heart of Europe’ campaign to protect the Balkan rivers.


“Thousands of people are affected by the projected dam tsunami in South-East Europe. They would lose their arable lands, their drinking water supply, and above all an essential part of their home countries. Nonetheless they don’t receive information about the projects and their complaints are being ignored by politicians. People are sick of it and increasingly take to the streets. Rightly so!” says Ulrich Eichelmann, CEO of Riverwatch. Read some of their heart-rendering stories HERE


The local residents, some of whom came from remote regions of their countries to attend the rallies, are determined to protect their rivers. “The action weeks also serve to make those affected by a project seen and heard, and to support them in their struggle against the hydropower lobby. The protesters’ determination shows that the battle for free-flowing rivers unites people”, says Gabriel Schwaderer, CEO of EuroNatur.


Background information:















Contact information:


Anja Arning, EuroNatur, anja.arning@euronatur.org, Tel.: +49 7732 92 72 13

Ulrich Eichelmann, Riverwatch, ulrich.eichelmann@riverwatch.eu, Tel.: +43 676 66 21 512














Sélune: the demolition of the Vezins dam on the way
It is a historic moment for Sélune! In recent days the cranes are at work on the left side of the dam and started the deconstruction of Vezins dam itself.


By the end of May the machines were present on site to dismantle the old hydroelectric power plant and make work to be transparent to floods. In this way in June three big openings (4X5meters each) were realized and the three bottom sluices open allowing passage of centennial floods.




In a few weeks another gear will come into action. Already installed at the foot of the dam this crane and 55 meters long articulated arm will dismount the central part of the dam.


Work are schedulde throughout the summer and until the fall.


The international media cover the Selune case : among others the international network of WWF, the BBC, AL Jazeera, La Vanguardia and Eldiario in Spain, Dennik N in Slovakia will report on the spot.




More about the project and the steps that led to this decision, see our dedicated page




 


New Poutès : the three sluices will be removed at the end of this summer
The work for the new Poutès in the upper part of the Allier basin (France) is ongoing. And we will soon have an important momentum in the history of the Poutès dam. Indeed, at the end of the summer, the three sluices, each 14x5m and 20 tons, will be removed from the structure.






Since the end of May, the reservoir is completely emptied, revealing the old bed of the Allier river.


The bottom sluice gate is fully open. The machines will soon invest the area. A platform that will remain until 2021 (expected end of works) will be installed in front of the dam to allow work on the structure. A crane will then take the sluice, put them on the platform, where they will be cut before joining a revaluation workshop. The reservoir will be refill during the winter 2019. The removal of a part of the dam itself will then continue during spring of 2020 after the smolts downstream migration.


See schedule for work until 2021, and the history of Poutès dam in our dedicated webpage


Reminder, the Poutès dam will be lowered by 10 meters (now it is 17m) and completely retrofit to facilitate fish migration and sediment transport.


© Louis Sauvadet – APS – 31 mai 2019