POSPONED DUE TO COVID-19! New date: May 6-8, 2021.

Many rivers around the world are regulated by dams for energy, land reclamation, flood protection and the transportation of goods; this has consequences. In Germany, only seven percent of the rivers are in "good ecological condition". The European Water Framework Directive demands that 93% urgently be renatured. The WWF's "Living Planet Report" from 2018 shows that worldwide stocks of freshwater species have plummetted by 83% since 1970. The extinction of species in freshwater is therefore far more dramatic than on terrestrial areas. The numerous traverse structures in rivers and streams are jointly responsible for this. The essential consequences, namely the interruption of the river continuum, as well as the restriction of longitudinal continuity, cannot be remedied as effectively as with the removal of the traverse structures.

At the “Dam Removal goes Alps” seminar, we aim to learn from experiences from all over Europe, discuss the ecological, economic and social benefits of dam removal, 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.

Registration for the "Dam Removal goes Alps" seminar from May 6-8, 2021 in the BVS training centre in Holzhausen am Ammersee will open in late 2020. Find more info about the program and field trips on the event website.