Image description: Aerial view on Cogîlnic River river freed from the dams.

A fifth record year 

Europe removed a record 603 river barriers in 2025, eclipsing the previous year’s total of 542 by 11%. The combined effort reconnected more than 3,740 km of rivers, marking a fifth consecutive year that removal totals have set a new high. Sweden topped the table with at least 173 removals, followed by Finland and Spain, with activity recorded across 21 countries. 

The trajectory is striking: from just over 100 annual removals six years ago to more than 600 today. Yet the scale of the remaining task is considerable – approximately one million barriers still fragment European waterways, many of them obsolete. 

Why dams block river life 

Barriers interrupt the flow of water, sediment, nutrients and wildlife. Migratory fish populations across Europe have fallen 75% since 1970, with salmon, eel, sturgeon and trout losing access to spawning grounds where structures fragment rivers. 

Recovery can be surprisingly rapid. In Finland’s Hiitolanjoki River, salmon returned during the first migration season after the last of three dams came down in 2023. In France, fish began recolonising the Sélune River following barrier removals in 2020 and 2022. 

Beyond fish: infrastructure and climate resilience 

The benefits of restoration extend well beyond fisheries. Removing barriers supports water security, biodiversity recovery and climate resilience. Free-flowing rivers also provide flood protection and are increasingly viewed as natural infrastructure that can complement engineered alternatives. There is a practical safety angle too: ageing, unmaintained structures pose growing risks, particularly during extreme weather. 

Aligning with European targets 

Policy is reinforcing the momentum. The EU Nature Restoration Regulation sets a target of 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers by 2030, with barrier removal regarded as one of the most effective tools available. Internationally, the effort feeds into the global Freshwater Challenge, which aims to put 300,000 km of degraded rivers worldwide into restoration by 2030. 

For water sector practitioners and catchment managers across the UK and Europe, the record-breaking 2025 figures underline how rapidly large-scale river restoration has shifted from niche activity to mainstream practice.