In Poland, the recovery of the Oder begins with that of its smallest tributaries

“That is the place saving the Oder begins,” says hydrobiologist Robert Czerniawski pointing at an not easily seen rivulet which falls first into the Drawa river after which into the Oder. The Polish basin of Oder is provided by ten thousand streams and rivulets like this one. 

Just some years again, concrete rings within the now meandering rivulet made positive that “water flowed shortly and freely, with out the potential of creating any residing circumstances, like in a canal”, Czerniawski explains. Because the removing of the concrete components and restoration, the water within the rivulet can clear itself and trout has returned to spawn. “Nature makes use of one thing instantly,” Czerniawski doesn’t conceal his fascination. “Moreover, now the water circulate is far slower due to the bends”. Which means it stays longer within the surroundings as a substitute of simply speeding in direction of the Baltic Sea. 

The Oder catchment space covers one third of Poland. What occurs in Drawa river or in anyplace in Higher or Decrease Silesia, has an affect on the situation of all the Oder river. “Due to this fact, it isn’t sufficient to maintain the Oder riverbed solely. It’s as if, when saving a tree, we solely handled the trunk and ignored the crown, leaves, and roots,” explains Artur Furdyna, ichthyologist and the sector coordinator of the challenge LifeDrawaPL, the costliest river restoration challenge within the historical past of the European Union. The EU allotted virtually seven million euros to create acceptable circumstances for the return and growth of critically endangered species of fish and aquatic crops and the development of fish passes on the Drawa River. Now, amongst others, salmon, which is an indicator of fine water high quality, can migrate freely once more. 

“We is not going to survive with one salmon”

Some native farmers are sceptical about salmon safety within the space. They’ve one other downside: “the small lakes within the higher a part of the Drawa River are virtually dry”, says Stanisław Baliński, a 74-year-old farmer throughout a gathering in regards to the challenges for the Drawa basin. He stresses the necessity to enhance the water degree on one of many lakes within the space. He doesn’t perceive why there’s a scarcity of water in Drawsko Lake District if there’s as a lot rain as all the time. 

“Drought can nonetheless happen regardless of the traditional rainfall”, reminds Furdyna. “Our actions, amongst others pumping out underground water to irrigate crops, scale back the absorption.”

Czerniawski, who can be current on the dialogue, emphasises that we can not solely take a look at our personal yard whereas talking about water assets. If we plan to intervene, we should do it correctly, whereas contemplating all the ecosystem, as a result of uncoordinated actions will trigger hurt. “We can not simply place a weir or a penstock in a better place and don’t care what occurs downstream”, warns Czerniawski.

The specialists’ arguments don’t appear to persuade the native farmers. They declare that they’re “preventing for survival and meals safety” since “we is not going to have sufficient with only one salmon.”

Hydrobiologist Tomasz Krepski warns towards such statements. “If we don’t maintain each degree of this ecosystem we may have water that will probably be of no use to us.” 

Which meals safety? 

Furdyna is questioning which meals safety the farmers from the Drawsko Lake District are speaking about. “Ten % of the present manufacturing can be sufficient t…