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Study: Dam construction brings serious ecological consequences on the source of the Vjosa River

Politiko 2025-05-22 08:44:17

Study: Dam construction brings serious ecological consequences on the source of

A new scientific study, conducted by researchers at the University of Natural Resources and Human Sciences in Vienna in collaboration with the Hellenic Center for Marine Research in Athens, highlights some of the most serious ecological consequences brought about by one of the dams located in the headwaters of the Vjosa (Aoos) River in Greece.

"Without the ecological flow from the Aoos source dam, the once wild river has been reduced to a narrow stream only 1.3 meters wide. This has brought about drastic hydromorphological changes," the study says.

According to the EU Water Framework Directives, ecological flow is not simply a minimum water volume, but the amount of water necessary for downstream ecosystems to maintain their natural characteristics and perform vital ecological functions.

The last wild river in Europe, the Vjosa-Aoos, stretches for around 260 km, starting from its source in the Pindos Mountains of Greece and continuing through the Vjosa National Park in Albania, to its mouth in the Adriatic Sea.

The construction of dams at the headwaters of the AOOS in Greece in 1987 completely cut off the downstream flow of the river, causing a cascade with severe ecological impacts.

The study's findings show that the reduction in free flow has also led to a decrease in the number of species that are part of the river ecosystem, the continuity of which depends directly on the continuity of the river's flow.

"The lack of free flow has led to drastic habitat loss and declines in fish populations and diversity, especially Balkan trout," the findings further cite, with impacts mainly observed during the dry summer months.

The executive director of the environmental organization, MedIna in Greece, emphasized the vital role that the wild Vjosa-Aoos river has in the region.

“The Aoos is not just a river, it is a vital main artery, which connects ecosystems, communities and cultural heritage,” said Alexis Katsaros of MedIna.

The study, published by Riverwatch, EuroNatur and MedINA, highlights the urgent need to restore the ecological flow of the river at source dams.

“Restoring the ecological flow of the Vjosa-Aoos River should be the main goal of the region’s public policies for a sustainable future,” said Katsaros from the MedIna institute./ BIRN

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