Removal of dams and other longitudinal barriers

Dams and other transversal barriers are obstacles crossing the river section and causing discontinuities for sediment and fauna. Removing them consists in destroying all the obstacles, restoring the slope and the longitudinal profile of the river, therefore allowing re-establishment of fluvial dynamics, as well as sedimentary and ecological continuity.

The importance of river restoration and free-flowing rivers is increasingly recognised by European environmental policy. A large number of barriers on rivers in Europe has led to a high degree of fragmentation, with a major loss of river connectivity resulting in significant changes in hydromorphological processes and biodiversity. Moreover, such fragmentation may lead to significant adverse effects on the stability of infrastructures and riverine settlements.