Creating new spawning areas while balancing hydropower, nature, and recreational needs.
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Creating new spawning areas while balancing hydropower, nature, and recreational needs.
The Rába River demo site focuses on restoring connectivity between an isolated oxbow and the main river channel to improve fish habitats. The site also aims to support spawning and rearing conditions, increase hydrological dynamics, and enhance the conservation status of protected migratory fish species. A strongemphasis is placed on stakeholder collaboration, especially with fishing groups and water authorities.
Rába - Oxbow of the Rába River, 1.5 km in length
Barbel, Nase, Zingel, Cyprinids
habitat restoration to improve conservation status of migratory fish species
Rába is one of the few remaining rivers, where significant river stretch is unregulated. The Hungarian upper reach of Rába is meandering freely with naturally eroding banks and gravel bars. It is home to a valuable reophilic ecosystem.
The main channel is inscising and the side chanels and oxbows lost contact and silt up with sediment. Along the river several hydropower plants has been built in the past, which disrupts the longitudinal connectivity of the river.
Loss of habitat diversity. Loss of spawning sites in oxbows and side channels. Decreased longitudinal connectivity due to hydropower plant and inefficient fishways. Impoundment of hydropower plants cause significant change in the characteristics of the fast flowing river, resulting in habitats resembling standing waterbodies.
Reconnection of a silted up oxbow, creating diverse fish habitat for spawning and juvenile rearing. Ensuring continous water flow regime to create a functional side arm.
Creating habitats for migratory, rephilic fish species and restoration of their population.
Restoration of the functional side-arm with sediment removal. Creating a sustainable way of water intake with nature based solution.
Őrség National Park Directorate as conservation site manager, water authority
Experience in oxbow and side arm restoration can be useful in other regions. Monitoring after inmplementation can highlight the succesful way or difficulties of restorations.
Creating a restoration plan for the oxbow which is authorized by the water authority.
