The Open Rivers Programme continues to found barriers removal projects, preparatory studies and works. ERN – SOS Loire Vivante, can help and advise you if you wish to apply. To prepare the next call for projects, a webinar to present the program, eligibility criteria and ask your questions is organized on May 20 from 4 to 5:30 pm (in french). registration required.
The Open Rivers Programme continues to support the restoration of river continuity in Europe.
Two new projects, supported by ERN in partnership with SMDMCA, have just been selected in the Cantal region of France: the Batitan and Moulin Bas weirs.
This brings to 13 the number of projects (studies or works) in partnership with ERN and the Open Rivers Programme in France.
Seuil de Moulin Bas ©SMDMCA
The Moulin Bas project
The Moulin Bas weir is located on the Souvigne stream, a tributary of the Dordogne. This watercourse, classified in lists 1 and 2 (L.214-17 du CE) is of great ecological importance. In 2018, the Souvigne was home to 8.4% of the spawning grounds for large salmonids in the Dordogne basin, according to a study carried out by ECOGEA for MIGADO. The Moulin Bas weir is an obstacle to migratory fish. It will therefore be removed during the works scheduled for autumn 2025, opening up 15 km of river, or 83% of the Souvigne’s length. Read more
Seuil de Batitan ©SMDMCA
The Batitan project
The Batitan dam is located on the Branugues stream, a tributary of the Cère, in the Cantal department. The Branugues stream is home to numerous species, including fario trout and river lamprey. As with the Moulin Bas project, work will start in autumn 2025, opening up more than 8 km of stream, or 87% of the creek. By eliminating this obstacle, it will be possible to restore upstream spawning habitats and bolster the trout population already present in the stream. Read more
Upcoming webinar
Ahead of the next Open Rivers Programme call for projects, ERN will be organizing a webinar to present the program and eligibility criteria. (to be confirmed – May 20, 2025 in frenche).
Dates of the next Open Rivers Programme calls for projects
Summer session 2025: from June 9 to July 4, 2025 (decision and start of projects from November 2025)
Autumn session 2025: from October 6 to October 31, 2025 (decision and start of projects from March 2026).
Find out more about these projects and the Open Rivers program:
As we approach the opening of the ORP call for proposals on October 29, WFMF, WWF, and ERN will host a 1 hour expert masterclass on dam removal with French expert Stéphane Weil from CATER Calvados Orne Manche, France .
He will present on the topic “: Restoring river continuity at a river or catchment scale. How to proceed ? Examples of approaches, technical and communication tools proposed by CATER COM in France”
This event aims to increase the visibility of ORP call and encourage a greater number of submissions.
Join us on October 24th, 2024, from 10:00 to 11:00 (CEST) via Zoom
This September, thanks to the support of the European Rivers Network under the Open Rivers Programme, a number of river barrier removal projects are scheduled in France, in sub-basins of the Dordogne, Loire, Gave de Pau and Rhône (see details in the press release).
After three years of implementation of the Open Rivers Programme, more than 140 projects have been supported throughout Europe, including around ten in France, thus contributing to achieving the objective of 25,000 km of free rivers by 2030 in Europe, as set out in the European regulation on nature restoration and measure 20 of the National Strategy for Biodiversity (SNB) 2030, which aims to strengthen actions in favour of ecological webs and remove their main obstacles. Faced with the consequences of climate change, removing weirs and dams that have no use or have a high impact is a key measure for limiting the warming of water, restoring access to refuge areas and increasing the resilience of habitats and species.
On World River Day, we feel it is important to point out that life in our rivers and the quality of our watercourses is still too severely degraded and that urgent action is needed to halt the erosion of biodiversity and cope with the effects of climate change. ‘Repairing rivers and making environments and species more resilient to variations in temperature and hydrology will depend solely on our actions and involvement. There is still a huge task to be done, and it is sometimes difficult to get people to accept it,’ explains Roberto Epple, President of the European Rivers Network. Yet these projects are the result of a long, complex and collective process, combining technical work and consultation, and sometimes militant struggle. So each ecological restoration project is a source of pride, an event to be celebrated that contributes to restoring our shared heritage.
The projects taking part in the Open Rivers Programme are located in sensitive, protected areas with high biodiversity potential, and will help to reconnect habitats for fish (trout, lamprey, salmon), white-clawed crayfish and pearl mussels. ‘By re-establishing the natural dynamics of the watercourse and facilitating the movement of species, we are restoring the system and the complex interactions between living beings and their environments, and providing an additional opportunity to adapt to climate change. These are ‘no-regrets’ measures that benefit everyone,’ explains Corinne Ronot, Project Manager at the European Rivers Network. A range of highly ambitious projects that the European Rivers Network has submitted to the Open Rivers Programme for funding, sometimes in addition to that provided by the French Water Agencies.
At the end of the summer of 2024, the Open Rivers Programme announced its support for three new projects proposed by ERN in collaboration with local partners:
The town of Argelès-Gazost in the Hautes-Pyrénées will be able to count on the participation of the European Rivers Network and the financial support of the Open Rivers Programme to remove the first obstacle downstream on the Gave d’Azun. Located just a few hundred metres from the confluence with the Gave de Pau, this structure prevents Atlantic salmon from accessing favourable breeding habitats. The work is scheduled for 2025. A “coordinated operation” to restore ecological continuity on the Gave d’Azun is being carried out by the Adour-Garonne water authority and will allow other upstream structures to be treated throughout the year, allowing migratory species to recolonise more than 11 km of the river.
(photo : ©ECOGEA)
Plus d’infos : https://www.ern.org/fr/openrivers/#toggle-id-4 et www.argeles-gazost.fr
At the end of September, the SISMAE association will be carrying out a restoration project on a headwater stream in the Loire département, thanks to the Open Rivers programme, which has helped to finance the budget. The restoration of the watercourse and the removal of two culverts will reconnect the watercourse to the existing wetland and free the stream from all obstacles as far as its source. With its relatively permanent low flows, this watercourse is an important summer refuge for trout and could potentially be recolonised by the white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes, listed as endangered by the IUCN) already present in the downstream tributary. The project is funded by the Agence de l’Eau Loire Bretagne and a number of private sponsors, including the Open Rivers programme with the European Rivers Network, Patagonia and local companies (Rochebillard et Blin, Tiassage Linder, Chambon Paysage). (photo : ©SISMAE)
Plus d’infos : https://www.ern.org/fr/openrivers/#toggle-id-3 Et https://sismae.org/
Finally, on the Eyrieux (Rhône basin), the Syndicat Mixte de l’Eyrieux à Crussol (SMEC) is completing preliminary studies for the complete restoration of an upstream section of the Eyrieux. The work involves removing two weirs that are no longer in use and restoring the river to its original bed at the bottom of the valley, in the section that has been diverted. Fish continuity will be fully restored along 15 km of the upstream Eyrieux by reconnecting it with four of its tributaries, giving a total of 33 km of reconnected main watercourse and 12.5 km of secondary watercourse. In the summer of 2024, the Open Rivers Programme announced that it would also support the works phase, with the studies and works being partly funded by the Open Rivers Programme and supported by the European Rivers Network. (photo ©SMEC)
Plus d’infos : https://www.ern.org/fr/openrivers/#toggle-id-5 Et https://www.eyrieux-clair.fr/
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ERN is the official WWF Freshwater Partner in France and cooperates with WWF Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands and others
