Late March and early April is the time of the Huchen. It is the period when this fascinating species spawns in gravel rich, free-flowing rivers. The Balkan rivers, like the Sava, Drina, Una, Sana, Kupa, are the last stronghold of this globally threatened species. However, the following photos were recently taken in the Mank, a small river in Austria by Erhard Kraus. 

Example of the reality of small hydro, the MHE Ravni na Pristavaci close to Užice/Serbia © Amel Emric

++ NGOs submit a complaint to the Energy Community against Serbia on the basis of its failure to fully assess the environmental impacts of small hydropower before their construction ++ The four NGOs are raising concerns about how Serbia decides whether or not an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is needed for small hydropower projects (<2 MW) prior to their development.

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.