WCC 2020 Res 008 - Activity Report

Western Jiu River represents the upper reaches of Jiu River, the only big mountain river which still flows free in Romanian Carpathians. Western Jiu River is a very important river, due to its unique characteristics. It is placed between Retezat National Park and Jiu Gorge National Park, thus constituting a very important green corridor. It is one of the very few rivers with substantial flow from Romania still having a natural flow, not diminished by hydropower developments. Western Jiu River is the habitat of several protected species and provides significant ecosystem services to the inhabitants of the four towns it passes through, Uricani, Lupeni Vulcan and Aninoasa. Despite its ecological importance, the protection of the river is completely neglected by the Jiu Basin Water Administration, in defiance of the public pressure demanding the protection of this emblematic river. The lower stretch of the river was poisoned in August 2021, thousands of dead fish floated downstream. But the worst danger for the river lies ahead, is represented by a devastating river regulation project. The project is called: “Securing the Valea de Pești dam, Hunedoara County”.
The project is aimed to be financed from EU funds and represents an utter breaching of Water Framework Directive. Based on two fake studies (EIA and Impact on the Water Body Assessment), the Hunedoara County Environmental Agency issued a draft of an environmental permit.
The significant negative impact of this river regulation project is mentioned in the report of the ”Living Rivers Europe” coalition, called THE FINAL SPRINT FOR EUROPE’S RIVERS, at page 71.
Considering the status of the institutional framework in Romania, a lawsuit will be needed to stop this ecocide. Fieldwork is needed in order to challenge the two fake studies mentioned above.