site.btaWWF Restores One of Last preserved Danube Tributaries in Bulgaria

WWF conservationists are starting work on studying the possibilities for restoring the river connectivity of one of the last preserved tributaries of the Danube, the Lom River. With a length of 93 km, it is among the few remaining larger rivers in Bulgaria with a relatively preserved morphology, providing habitats for species of high conservation value, as well as for a number of endangered species of mussels and crustaceans, said the press centre of the non-governmental organization. The activities are part of the Subscribe to Nature campaign and a few days before Earth Hour.

In addition to being home to amazing animal and plant diversity, rivers capture and store carbon, remove environmental pollutants and protect local people from floods, the organization recalled. Although a large part of the Lom River falls was declared in 2022 as a protected area, it is fragmented by barriers built in the past, half-destroyed thresholds and weirs, conservationists said.

WWF experts plan to carry out a detailed inventory of artificial barriers in the Lom River. They aim to collect a rich database, assess the impact of the barriers, as well as the possibility of restoring the river's connectivity. A preliminary review of satellite images shows the presence of numerous potential obstacles to the migration of a number of aquatic organisms, the organization said. Mapping and surveying of the main barriers in the main course of the Lom River and its larger tributaries is on the agenda, said Stoyan Mihov, head of the Waters program at WWF. “We will also conduct field surveys of fish populations and other key species to identify the most significant obstacles to them,” he added.

The number of barriers in Bulgarian rivers is still unknown. There is official information for a very small part of them and an impact assessment for an even smaller part, the organization stressed. WWF experts aim to collect the necessary data to support decision-making on the removal of abandoned barriers of unknown purpose and ownership, as they stop the natural flow of water and interrupt fish migration corridors, and also pose a danger to local communities.

With its Subscribe to Nature campaign, WWF aims to preserve and restore the habitats of a number of species that feed, reproduce and raise their offspring in rivers and wetlands. Among them is the otter, is included in the  Red Book of Bulgaria, which identifies 87 critically endangered animal species. The WWF has a campaign on its website encouraging people to donate monthly in support of Bulgarian otters. 

BTA supports the WWF Subscribe to Nature campaign.