C.4.4 Fish passes and riffle on the Korytnica River (3 items of hydrotechnical objects)
We would like to inform that on 16th November 2018 the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Szczecin made the final acceptance of works carried out. as a part of the C.4.4. task “Construction of fish passes on the Korytnica River (Jaźwiny, Sówka) together with the supplementation of gravel substrate in the riffle-pool sequence in the area of the old threshold between Jaźwiny and Sówka”.
Project LIFE13 NAT/PL/000009 LIFEDrawaPL „Active protection of water-crowfoots habitats and restoration of wildlife corridor in the River Drawa basin in Poland /Czynna ochrona siedlisk włosieniczników i udrożnienie korytarza ekologicznego zlewni rzeki Drawy w Polsce” is co-financed by the European Union under the LIFE+ financial instrument and by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Warsaw (NFOŚiGW).
WThe acceptance of works was attended by representatives of:
- National Water Managment Waters of Poland – Water Management in Tuczno
- Drawieński National Park
- Głusko Forest District
- Drawno Forest District
- Contract Engineer together with the Construction Site Inspector
- Members of the Steering Group
- Contractor.
The total value of the completed task: PLN 2,111,540,08
As a result of the task, the following was obtained:
- new fish passes – 2 pcs
- elimination of an uncontrolled threshold – remains of the weir
- riffle
- the existing infrastructure for canoeists was moved and reconstructed
- project information board – 1 item
The Korytnica River is one of the most important tributaries of the lower Drawa section, above EW Kamienna. Lack of ecological contact for several decades meant that ichthyofauna populations could not migrate to this tributary above 2nd km from the estuary to the Drawa. Thanks to the passes made as a part of the project, this situation has changed completely, the tributary has become a natural spawning ground for many species, both fish and lampreys. This effect even more important because the lower Korytnica above the barriers is characterised by a good ecological status, including water-crowfoots almost from the estuary, and significantly extends the area available for both reproduction and rearing of juvenile stages of ichthyofauna. The reconstruction of contact also plays an important role for the functioning of water-crowfoots rivers habitat, because there are important interactions between the individual components of the ecosystem essential for a proper ecological status. The presence of migratory species of ichthyofauna plays a significant role in ensuring a good state of gravel patches, which are thrown by fish due to their spawning activities which reduces clogging and armouring.
As a part of the action, stone gravel riffle was also made, which increases the surface of the gravelly part of the lower section of the Korytnica, extremely important for the functioning of the habitat, depleted by the eddies of existing weirs and the remains of the threshold.
We hope that these tasks will serve tourists and residents, and will have a positive impact on the ecological status of the Korytnica and the entire Drawa basin.
Along with the completion of the restoration, elements of tourist infrastructure were made, the location of which (in connection to the construction of the passes) had to undergo certain modifications. The Korytnica in the period of protection on the Drawa is an important tourist object in the region.
