Europe achieved a record breaking milestone in river restoration during 2025 by removing 603 obsolete barriers, including dams, weirs and culverts, helping reconnect thousands of kilometres of waterways and improve habitats for freshwater species.
According to the 2025 Dam Removal Europe report, the removals restored more than 3,740 kilometres of free-flowing rivers across the continent, marking the highest number of barrier removals recorded in a single year.
Environmental groups and conservation experts describe barrier removal as one of the most effective ways to restore river ecosystems. Many old structures no longer serve their original purpose but continue to disrupt water flow, block fish migration routes and damage freshwater habitats.
Among the most significant projects was the demolition of the Shuplji Kamen barrier on the Pčinja River in North Macedonia. The massive wartime concrete structure had obstructed the river for more than 70 years, preventing fish movement across large stretches of the waterway. Its removal became the first large-scale river barrier demolition project of its kind in the country.
Conservationists said the barrier had negatively affected at least ten fish species, including several species found only in the region. The project has now reopened important migration routes and breeding grounds for aquatic wildlife.
In France, authorities removed the Isaby Dam on a tributary of the Gave de Pau River, restoring access to nearly 10 kilometres of river habitat. The project is expected to benefit vulnerable species such as Atlantic salmon and the endangered Iberian desman, a small semi-aquatic mammal native to southwestern Europe.
Europe’s freshwater biodiversity continues to face significant challenges. Recent assessments indicate that nearly 42 percent of the continent freshwater fish species are threatened with extinction due to habitat fragmentation, pollution, climate change and river modifications.
Conservation organisations estimate that Europe currently has around 1.2 million barriers across its rivers, with more than 150,000 considered obsolete. Since 2020, nearly 2,300 river barriers have been removed across the continent, with Sweden, Finland and Spain leading restoration efforts.
The year 2025 also marked a milestone for Iceland and North Macedonia, both of which carried out their first documented dam removals. Iceland dismantled an unused hydroelectric dam as part of efforts to improve river connectivity.
The restoration work supports the European Union’s Nature Restoration Regulation, which aims to restore at least 25,000 kilometres of rivers to a free flowing state by 2030. Experts estimate that the progress made during 2025 alone achieved approximately 15 percent of that target.
Environmental advocates say healthy rivers provide critical benefits beyond biodiversity conservation, including flood protection, improved water quality, climate resilience and greater ecosystem stability.
As countries continue investing in river restoration projects, experts believe removing obsolete barriers could become one of the most effective strategies for reversing freshwater biodiversity decline and rebuilding healthier ecosystems across Europe.