update Updated
category Biodiversity preservation News
The Purtse river in northeastern Estonia, once one of the main spawning grounds for salmon in Estonia, has long suffered from industrial pollution and hydromorphological changes, including the Püssi dam.
In the framework of LIFE IP CleanEST project, an important step has been taken to restore the river’s flow by removing the outdated dam and replacing it with a rapid-type fish pass. This enhances fish migration, promotes biodiversity and strengthens resilience against climate change.
Construction of the Püssi fish pass is indeed a step in the process of restoring degraded ecosystems. Opening the last insurmountable migration barrier of Purtse river, amplifies previous efforts to improve the river system, whether through salmon restocking, the creation of spawning areas or pollution removal.
Removing residual pollution caused by oil shale plants from Purtse river and its tributaries has been the largest legacy pollution remediation project in Estonia to date. In total 18 km of riverbed and 130 000 m³ of pollution was removed with the support from the European Union (EU) Cohesion Fund. This laid the foundation and created favourable conditions to restore the river’s ecosystem as a whole. To restore the decreasing fish population, over 180 000 salmon have been restocked into the river by the project partner RMK Põlula fish farm. Additionally, a fish counter at the Sillaoru fish pass, guided by a fence, ensures precise data collecting on migrating fish and the pass’ effectiveness.
By prioritizing nature-based solutions, Estonia sets an example for sustainable river management. Restoration of Purtse river demonstrates how environmental conservation and societal benefits can go hand in hand, ensuring a healthier ecosystem for future generations.
LIFE IP CleanEST is an integrated water management project that is focused on improving the status of water bodies in Ida-Viru and Lääne-Viru counties of Estonia.
Author : Henry LINNARD,LIFE IP CleanEST Communication Manager, Ministry of Climate, ESTONIA