European Open Rivers Programme

Ecological expertise helps advance a continental-scale program supporting interventions that lead to the removal of small dams and the restoration of river flow and biodiversity.

Nearly one million dams are fragment European rivers. While research has shown that dams contribute to the significant decline of biodiversity in European rivers and that dam removal can quickly restore river flow and biodiversity, few organizations providing funding and outreach related to dam removal at the European level. Established in 2021, the European Open Rivers Program (EORP) intends to change that by sharing knowledge, convening stakeholders, promoting dam removal, and supporting interventions that lead to the removal of small dams and the restoration of river flow and biodiversity through grants.

Biohabitats is providing fish passage and ecological restoration/engineering expertise to EORP by having senior engineer Laura Wildman serve as a member of the Grant Selection Panel (GSP) for a minimum of six years. Ms. Wildman began her involvement in the EORP by helping to develop grant selection criteria to ensure that it was scientifically valid, met the needs of the program, and was logical and effective. Using those criteria, she and her fellow panelists, which include practitioners, engineers, scientists, ecologists, geomorphologists, advocacy, communications and legal specialists, review four annual rounds of Expressions of Interest and Proposals.