Europe Removed 603 River Barriers in 2025

Dam Removal Europe reports 603 obsolete river barriers—dams, weirs, and collectors—were removed from European rivers in 2025. This represents an 11% increase over the previous year, with Sweden, Finland, and Spain leading the effort across 21 countries. The removals freed up 3,740 kilometers of river, about 29% more than in 2024, allowing ecosystems to recover and potentially increasing biodiversity.

Most removed structures were collectors, comprising 50% of the total, followed by weirs at 31%. The vast majority, 78%, stood less than 2 meters tall. While progress is accelerating—from 101 removals six years ago to over 600—over 1.2 million barriers still fragment Europe’s rivers.

The report notes 42% of European freshwater fish are at risk of extinction, and the EU aims to restore at least 25,000 kilometers of rivers by 2030. Dam Removal Europe continues to monitor these efforts and address misinformation surrounding barrier removal.