On April 30, many people met in the middle Kamp Valley near Rosenburg to explore it and to demand its protection. On the old dam of the Rosenburg power plant, activists with canoes mounted a large banner demanding the opening of the dam and the liberation of the river. In the video Ulrich Eichelmann, Oliver Lehmann, Doris Knecht, Stefan Glaser und Werner Gamerith explain why they advocate the preservation or restoration of the living, free-flowing Kamp river.

With a removalof the Rosenburg powerplant and further restoration downstream, the Kamp can once again become a paradise for many endangered species © Matthias Schickhofer

The aging Rosenburg power plant has long been a thorn in the side of conservationists. Now, according to plans of the energy company EVN, it is to be replaced by a larger power plant - with massive ecological consequences for the entire Kamp Valley. The "Kamp Days" therefore focus on the demand for a restoration and a complete removal of the existing powerplant.

For years we have been committed to the Kamp, one of the most important rivers in Austria. Therefore, we are happy to invite you to the Kamp Days on April 29-30! This free symposium with local and international experts in Rosenburg, Lower Austria will focus on the future of the Kamp, on river restoration, dam removal, and on the question of how livable the river and the valley should be in the future.

POSPONED DUE TO COVID-19! New date: May 6-8, 2021. At the “Dam Removal goes Alps” seminar, we aim to learn from experiences from all over Europe, demonstrate the potential for dismantling in the Alpine region and outline the necessary framework conditions for dam dismantling. Riverwatch CEO Ulrich Eichelmann will present the Altenau in Ostwestfalen as a successful example for dam removal and river restoration.

The days of Dam Vezin are numbered – this is going to be the biggest dam removal project in Europe © JP Doron

France’s Minister of the Environment Nicolas Hulot has approved the removal of two large hydropower plants. The river Sélune in Normandy will be freed of the 35m high Vezin dam as well as the 15 m high Roche-Qui-Boit dam. Demolition works will start in Spring 2018. This reconnects 90 kilometer of watercourse, facilitating free passage for salmons, eels and many other species.

Protest action at the dam Rosenburg on the Kamp river in Lower Austria. The floating letters say “Free our rivers. HPP Rosenburg – Get rid of it” © Riverwatch

++ Riverwatch demands removal of EVN dam ++ Remove the Dams! Initiative for Alpine region launched ++ Austria has the highest density of hydropower plants globally ++With today’s unusual action, Riverwatch and kayakers from the Kamp valley in Lower Austria demand the removal of the dam in Rosenburg. They gathered in kayaks around the floating slogan “Befreit den Kamp! KW Rosenburg - WegDammit! (Free the Kamp! HPP Rosenburg - get rid of it)” on the dam reservoir. 

“Rivers probably are the most endangered habitat of all, but also they are one of the best habitats for restoring. A good restoration project can increase the fish populations very fast if the remaining densities are not too low” Since 2010 the Duero River Basin Authority has removed more than 115 barriers, reconnecting more than 700 km of rivers. Watch their clip!

Photo: Anonymous

Riverwatch – a society for the protection of rivers based in Vienna – is looking for a project coordinator (25h) for a de-damming initiative. This campaign aims to analyze hydropower projects in Central and Eastern Europe and to determine which ones are to be removed due to ecological and/or economic reasons. With this campaign we are trying to implement the de-damming movement, which is already well- established in the US, to Europe.

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