Making the Iron Gate dams passable for Danube sturgeon
About project
Project title:
Making the Iron Gate dams passable for Danube sturgeon
Acronym:
We Pass 2
Financier:
European Commison – DG Environment
Budget:
1,999,998 EUR
Project duration:
2021-2024
Project coordinator:
Marq Redeker, CDM Smith Consult GmbH
Project partners:
CDM Smith, ICPDR, DDNI, DTU, IMSI, Jaroslav Cerni Institut, NINA, OAK
Project leader for IMSI:
Dr. Marija Smederevac-Lalić,
Research Professor
Project website:
Location:
Serbia, Danube, Iron Gate dams I and II
Keywords:
pilot study, fish passes, migratory fish species, sturgeon species, fish movement
Telephone:
E-Mail:
Website:
Linkage to the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Project description
The construction of the Iron Gate 1 and 2 dams has significantly impacted sturgeon and other migratory fish populations, as these structures act as impassable barriers that block fish migration to their upstream spawning grounds. This interrupted fish migration also negatively affects the overall ecosystem of the Danube River Basin. The WePass2 project aims to overcome these obstacles and restore fish migration for sturgeon and other migratory fish species between the Black Sea and the upper Danube River Basin. This effort includes the preliminary design of the largest fish passages and descent systems in Europe.
Data
As part of the project, telemetry research was conducted to monitor fish movement, preliminary designs of various fish passage options at the Iron Gate dams were developed, covering all technical elements; and a cost estimate for the construction of the fish passages was prepared.
Data is stored within partner institutions and the joint project database, and after processing and validation, it will be made available through official project reports, scientific publications, and open data repositories, in accordance with the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).
Results
Our feasibility study will allow funding decisions to be made and prepare the detail design of the identified preferred fishway solutions.
Project team
- Project Leader (PI): Marq Redeker, CDM Smith Consult GmbH
- Team:
- IMSI team: dr Marija Smederevac-Lalić, dr Gorčin Cvijanović, dr Dušan Nikolić, dr Miroslav Nikčević