Vindel River LIFE Restoration of Tributaries to the Vindel River

Vindel River LIFE Restoration of tributaries to the Vindel River

Layman’s Report EC LIFE + programme LIFE08 NAT/S/000266 Responsible for content: Johanna Gardeström, Umeå University, +46 (0) 90 786 65 61, [email protected] Daniel Holmqvist, Lycksele municipality, +46 (0) 950 164 14, [email protected]

Text editing (Swedish) and layout: Anders Esselin, Man & Nature, +46 (0)70 273 09 45, [email protected]

Translation of text from Swedish to English: Språkservice Sverige AB

Picture on cover: The tributary Gargån, restored with demonstration methods by Vindel River LIFE. Photo: Johanna Gardeström

Print: Nya Tryckeriet i Lycksele

2 Content

SUMMARY 4

TIMBER FLOATING CAUSED FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES 6 An enormous undertaking 7 Fundamental changes 8 Riparian forests 8

NEW WATERS ”MADE OLD” 11 Earlier restoration 11 Wide, winding streams 12 New ideas and new practices 13 Traditional best-practice restoration 13 Demonstration restoration 14 Excavators and hand tools 14 Pre-action modeling 16 New fish ladder 17 An appeal to all who fish in the Vindel River system 18

THE EFFECTS OF THE RESTORATION VARIES 20 Water flow 20 Riverside plants 21 Fish 22 Spawning beds 24 Species particularly worthy of protection 25 Time is crucial 26

MANY DIFFERENT INFORMATION CHANNELS 29 Information material and media 29 The Nature School 30

FACTS ABOUT VINDEL RIVER LIFE 31 Project owner 31 Project time 31 Project partners 31 Project budget 31

3 Summary

he rivers in northern Sweden were used to he Vindel River LIFE project has removed transport timber even long before the 1800’s. 20 splash dams that were impeding fish TWhen timber floating was at its height, Tmigration, which has reopened over 250 ki- streams were radically transformed to make it lometers of rapids. A large number of side-channels easier to transport the logs: splash dams were built, that were closed off during the time of timber float- rocks and boulders were removed from the water, ing have also been reopened. Together, these two and levees and high banks concentrated the flow initiatives have improved conditions for migrating into narrow channels. Previously diverse environ- salmon and trout and also enabled other animals ments became more uniform, reducing the ability of and plants to spread more easily. stream-dwelling fish such as brown trout, grayling and salmon to migrate and spawn. he demonstration restorations have clear effects on hydrology: flow velocity has ork on restoring the streams in the Vindel Tdecreased and currents have become more River system started soon after timber variable. The streams have also become wider. It Wfloating ceased in 1976. Initially, resto- appears that the demonstration restoration leads to ration focused on providing anglers with attractive more plant types finding places in the riparian zone fishing locations, but as time progressed, ideas where they can establish themselves. Tributaries changed and the emphasis today is on creating a where there were fish before the restoration work good environment for fish as well as other aquatic are now homes to even more fish. However, in ar- organisms. eas where fish had been wiped out, recovery seems to take more time. indel River LIFE is the biggest restoration project in the Vindel River catchment to Vdate. The project has restored 26 tributaries in the Vindel River system, with the aim of re-es- tablishing a more diverse aquatic habitat similar to that which existed before the onset of timber floating. The project has involved both traditional best-practice restoration and more advanced restoration (demonstration restoration).

4 Västerbotten county

Vindel River

Natura 2000 area

Traditional restoration (best-practice) More advanced restoration and/or removing of splash dams (demonstration restoration)

Gargån1 Stenträskbäcken Gargån Hjuksån1 Giertsbäcken Hjuksån Bjurbäcken1 Kulbäcken Bjurbäcken Beukabäcken1 Arvån Beukabäcken Kvarnbäcken2 Sikbäcken Abmobäcken Sågbäcken2 Storkvarnbäcken Olsbäcken Ruskträskbäcken Nackbäcken Mattjockbäcken Vormbäcken Mösupbäcken1 Rågobäcken Åman Olsbäcken1 Mösupbäcken Akersbäcken Jacksbäcken Falåströmsbäcken Ribbikbäcken Holmforsen och Krok- forsen i Vindeälven 1Traditional and more advanced restoration in different parts of the tributary 2Removal of splash dam only

5 Timber floating caused fundamental changes

In Sweden, timber floating began in the Middle Ages. Around the middle of the 19th century, the forests started to be exploited in earnest, and this involved the expansion of the floatway system. Action taken to make floating more efficient brought about fundamental changes to the hydrology and ecology of the watercourses and significant environmental damage.

With its many tributaries, the Vindel River is a wild a great deal to a great many people. Today, the river and vital artery through the Västerbotten landscape. is both a Natura 2000 area and a Ramsar site. The The river rises on the northern flank of Mount river is also one of Sweden’s four, free-flowing Sarvestjåkkå on the border with Norway and merg- national rivers, protected under national legisla- es with the Ume River in Vännäsby, about 40 kilo- tion and recognized as being of national interest in meters upstream of the Gulf of Bothnia. Between terms of nature conservancy, outdoor recreation, these two points, it flows freely for 450 kilometers cultural heritage and reindeer husbandry. past inland forests, through stretches of rapids and The Vindel River has also served as an important calmer waters. transport route, especially during the timber float- Throughout history, the Vindel River has meant ing era. Up until the start of 19th century, there was very little logging, and the timber trade was small in scale, but around the middle of that century the Natura 2000 is the centerpiece of EU nature & biodiversity policy. forests started to be exploited in earnest. Logs from It is an EU-wide network of nature protection areas. The aim of the inland forests needed to be transported to the the network is to assure the long-term survival of Europe’s most saw mills and paper mills on the coast, and the only valuable and threatened species and habitats. way to do this was to float them down the river. The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that pro- Thus the expansion of the floatways also paved the vides the framework for national action and international coop- eration for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their way for the breakthrough and rapid growth of the resources. forestry industry in the 19th century.

6 Timber floating in a tributary to the Vindel River.

Source: Folkrörelse- arkivet, Umeå

For over a hundred years, floating was practically way through the landscape between rocks, boulders the only way timber could be transported, but from and fallen trees. It was easy for the timber to get the early 1960’s onwards timber was more and stuck and form log jams that were expensive and more transported by road. In 1976, timber floating dangerous to unblock. on the Vindel River ceased completely. So at the end of the 19th century the floatway The timber floating era is a significant part of network was extended by reshaping the Vindel our cultural heritage. At the time, timber floating Rivers tributaries so that they more resembled was very important to the people living along the straight canals than naturally winding streams. river valley. Farmers often eked out their income Boulders and bedrock were blown up and trees and by working on the floatways. Many of those living rocks were cleared away. Various types of stone in the river valley today still remember the timber piers were erected in the rapids of the main river to floating days and the hustle and bustle it created channel the timber in the right direction, and splash along the river. dams and flumes were also built in the tributaries. As the volume of timber increased, more effec- An enormous undertaking tive methods were used to clear the floatways. By the 1950’s excavators were being deployed and The Vindel River and its tributaries were in many many stretches of rapids were scraped completely ways ideal for floating timber, but there was room clean of stones and gravel. for improvement. A natural watercourse winds its Timber floating affected practically all the

7 By the 1950’s excavators were being deployed and many stretches of rapids were scraped completely clean of stones and gravel.

Source: Folkrörelse- arkivet, Umeå streams below the mountains of northern and cen- essential for fish spawning, and also removed the tral Sweden. The main river and tributaries of the grass, leaves and twigs that are the basis of the food Vindel River system were subjected to wholesale webs in the streams. Dams in the floatways closed clearing for timber floating. When timber floating off migration and dispersal routes for many species, was at its peak in the 1930’s and 1940’s, the area and the closing off of side channels removed large had at least 140 dams and 1,600 kilometers of chan- areas of potential habitats for animals and plants. nelized floatways. Riparian forests Fundamental changes Before the forestry industry and timber floating The changes to the streams to facilitate floating took off, there were large, untouched areas of forest brought about fundamental changes to the hydrolo- along the river margins. Trees that blew over or gy and ecology of the streams. It caused enormous died fell into the water. These riparian forests were damage to the natural environment and signifi- the first to be cut down when floating got under- cantly restricted the habitat of plants and animals way. This was partly because they were close to the both in the streams and in the surrounding area. water, which made it easy to transport the timber, Channelized streams lack appropriate habitats for and partly because these areas of forest hindered many aquatic and riparian plants and animals. The floating work so they needed to be removed. fast-flowing water washed away the gravel that is When these forests disappeared, there were fewer

8 A tributary channelized and cleared for timber floating purposes.

Photo: Daniel Jonsson dead trees in the streams. This has been a great loss to the environment, because not only do the trees The problem act as small, local dams, so that the riparian zones are flooded with nutrient-rich water, they also act as The action that was taken to facilitate floating brought a food storage– the branches trap leaves, twigs and about fundamental changes to the hydrology and ecology grass which are food for aquatic insects, and these of the streams. are in turn eaten by fish. The negative effects of all Streams that are channelized and cleared for timber float- this activity on fishing were soon pointed out by the ing purposes lack habitats for many aquatic and riparian plants and animals. locals. In 1928, the owners of fishing rights along the Vindel River submitted a written statement to The fast-flowing water washes away spawning gravel, grass, leaves and twigs that are the basis of the food webs the Water Rights Court, in which they observed: in the streams.

“The ideal environment for salmon and the ideal Dams in floatways close off migration routes for many species. The closing off of side channels removes large areas environment for timber floating are mutually exclu- of potential habitats for flora and fauna. sive. This means any action taken to improve the transportation of timber will have a negative effect When timber floating was at its height, there were at least 140 splash dams and 1,600 kilometers of channelized on the salmon.” floatways in the Vindel River system.

9 Photo: Stefan Ågren

10 New waters ”made old”

There are many good reasons for restoring streams to a more natural state. The Vindel River LIFE project has removed 20 timber floating splash dams and restored 66 kilometers of rapids in 26 different tributaries with the help of excavators and hand tools.

The Vindel River LIFE project was a collaboration and its tributaries impacted by timber floating start- between Umeå University, the Ume/Vindel River ed as soon as timber floating stopped. In the 1970s, Fishery Advisory Board, the Swedish University for example, various work programs were devised, of Agricultural Sciences and the Swedish Agency which involved former timber floaters being given for Marine and Water Management. The project ran the task of moving individual stones back into the from 2010 until October 2015, and aimed to restore water, and further restoration projects were carried tributaries to the Vindel River that had been nega- out in the 1990’s and in the early 2000’s. tively affected by timber floating so as to recreate The initial aim of these restoration projects was a more diverse aquatic environment favorable to to establish attractive fishing locations for sport plants and animals. The aim was to restore 75% of fishermen. The main focus was on moving previ- the floatways along the Vindel River tributaries that ously-removed stones and rocks from the banks had been identified as having undergone clearing and channelization. In total, 66 kilometers of rapids in 26 tributaries within the Vindel River system Natura 2000 area have been restored. LIFE is the EU’s financial instrument supporting environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects throughout the Earlier restoration EU. Since 1992, LIFE has co-financed some 4 171 projects, contributing approximately €3.4 billion to the protection of the environment and climate. LIFE Nature only finance work within The work of restoring stretches of the Vindel River Natura 2000-areas.

11 Abmobäcken after demonstration restoration. Trees and large boulders in the water increase local flooding, which produce vital interactions between the land and the water.

Photo: Daniel Jonsson back into the streams and building numerous steps volves improving affected rapids, riffles, meanders and pools. and deep pools while returning all the previously Over time, the projects instead came to focus on removed material to the water. creating environments that were attractive to fish This is beneficial to the environment in and and other aquatic organisms. Today, the vision is to around the streams in a variety of ways. Large boul- recreate the watercourse’s “old” appearance. What ders create areas of calmer water that provide pools we now seek to achieve, in so far as it is possible, is for fish. Like the trees in the water, they also trap an environment that is natural and resembles pre-in- leaves, twigs and grass that benefit both plants and dustrial conditions. animals. By reducing the water’s velocity, there is a decreased risk of gravel beds – the spawning beds Wide, winding streams where many fish deposit their eggs – being washed away during high flows. When the flow velocities Streams unaffected by timber floating are wide, in the tributaries are reduced, the water does not winding, often have several parallel channels and flow into the main river channel as quickly, so there are full of large boulders and dead trees. This means is less risk of flooding at times of high flows in the that the water flow in natural streams is slower lower reaches of the river. and the currents are more variable than in streams Trees and large boulders in the water increase adapted for timber floating. local flooding, which produce vital interactions These days, the restoration work largely in- between the land and the water, providing better

12 Re-opened side channel.

Photo: Daniel Jonsson conditions for productive, species-rich vegetation. using a package of methods that have previously The re-opening of side channels that were closed been tested and used in other restoration projects. off during timber floating makes it easier for fish, The second involved more advanced restoration such as salmon and trout, to migrate between suit- (demonstration restoration), which has previously able habitats, and of course the new waterways also only been tested in individual small-scale projects. help other animals and plants to spread. Traditional best-practice restoration New ideas and new practices Best-practice restoration includes opening up fish There have been promising results from earli- migration routes at dams, restoration of spawning er restoration work, but research has shown that beds, restoration of fish habitat, and opening up when the water flow is at its greatest, during spring of side channels. A total of around 60 kilometers flooding, even larger structures are needed in the of rapids have been restored in this way. Twenty streams to slow down the flow. Vindel River LIFE splash dams have been removed, meaning that over has therefore built on the lessons learned from 250 kilometers of rapids have been opened up for earlier restoration work in the Vindel River system migrating fish. The restoration has also increased but also applied new ideas and new practices. The the ability of other plants and animals to spread. project conducted restoration in two ways. The first It was previously thought that it was only the involved traditional best-practice restoration, i.e. larger stones in the water that were important for

13 An excavator with sieve bucket put a boulder into a stream.

Photo: Johanna Gardeström the fish. These days we know that the long-term LIFE has taken things a few steps further. Not satis- vitality of, for example, trout stocks is determined fied with the size and amount of the rocks that had by access to riverbeds of gravel and pebbles, where been left lying at channel’s edge, the project has many fish spawn. So the project has also recreated also taken large boulders and whole trees from the almost 1,000 gravel beds in restored sections. surrounding area and placed them in the streams. The project has also recreated spawning beds Demonstration restoration in the streams. Demonstration restoration methods have been applied to 5.7 kilometers of rapids. The project carried out demonstration restoration of Best-practice restoration is simpler and cheaper to ten streams that had been restored using best-prac- carry out than demonstration restoration, which is tice methods at some stage in the 1990’s or 2000’s. why the project carried out best-practice restoration This earlier restoration work was very cautious on a much longer (60 kilometer) stretch of rapids. in comparison with the demonstration restoration carried out as part of Vindel River LIFE. Earlier Excavators and hand tools work was often limited to putting the stones and boulders previously blown up and left on the banks Excavators with sieve buckets were used to put back into the water, and the streams were often not stones, boulders and trees into the streams. An ex- made wider. cavator can work in about a meter of water, and the In the demonstration restoration, Vindel River usual process was for it to be positioned in the mid-

14 A spawning bed is established using specially-made hand tools.

Photo: Johanna Gardeström dle of the watercourse where it could lift boulders, necessary. Once the work of recreating the basic stones and trees from the edges and place them in structure of the streams was complete, a variety of the water. This avoided additional damage to the different methods were used to re-establish spawn- water’s edge from machinery tracks. The material ing beds. To ensure the least possible damage to the was placed in various locations and at different ground, the gravel was usually driven to site using depths in the water. all-terrain vehicles when there was ground frost. In terms of aesthetics, the aim was where pos- Then, in the summer, the gravel was either distrib- sible to position the previously-removed stones so uted manually or a cable was used to convey the that they are under the surface of the water even gravel to the right place in the streams. Rakes were when water levels are low, and to use round, natural also used, both on the excavators and manually, to stones, ideally with their moss and lichen-covered loosen gravel that was hard packed on the stream sides uppermost when they are above the surface of beds. the water. Regardless of whether the gravel was loosened The practical work was carried out in summer by hand or with a machine, the work was always and autumn as it was easier to achieve good results finished off manually, using specially-made hand when water levels were low. Because the machines tools to adjust the spawning areas so that they only were mostly working in the water, it was import- contained right-sized gravel. A restored spawning ant to have experienced operators, and there was bed is 30 centimeters deep and is composed of always a supervisor on site to direct the work when gravel 2–10 centimeters in diameter. The size of the

15 Pre-action modeling

Initially, researchers at Luleå University of Technology performed pre-action modeling to ensure that the placement of structures is made as efficient as possible in the demonstration sites. Below is a summary of some of the results from this study.

• If the aim is to increase the water depth upstream, the block should be placed in calm stretches. If the riparian zone is very flat this will result in larger water covered area and decreased water speed. • If the aim is to reduce the current velocity downstream, the block should be placed in high areas with high current velocity.

Rock characteristics in order to create a large calm area (pool) upstream:

• If the current velocity is 1 m/s the rock should be larger than 0.5 m in diameter. • If the current velocity is 0.5 m/s the rock should be larger than 1 m in diameter. • Choose a rock with a ruff surface instead of smooth. It will stabilize the pool. • If possible, choose rocks with a flat surface. The flat surface should then be placed downstream to create the largest pool possible.

To create a calm area between two rocks arranged in a staggered configuration:

• Rocks should not be placed closer to each other than 2 diameters (center to center) • The angle of the line between the centers of the rocks should not be larger than 5°. • The largest distance between the two rocks (center to center) should be 3.5 diameters.

A rock placed in an angel behind another rock will affect the speed of the water flow between the two rocks.

16 A restored spawning bed is 30 centimeters deep and is composed of gravel 2–10 centimeters in diameter.

Photo: Anders Esselin restored spawning beds varies, but they are at least four square metres. Action taken

New fish ladder The aim of Vindel River LIFE (LIFE08 NAT/S/000266) was to restore tributaries of the Vindel River that had been negatively affected by timber floating in order to recreate a Although not part of Vindel River LIFE, the recent more diverse aquatic environment favorable to plants and construction of a new fish ladder at Stornorrfors animals. hydroelectric power station constitutes another Over 80 per cent of floatways along the Vindel River trib- large-scale, significant improvement to the Ume/ utaries identified as having undergone clearing have been Vindel River water system. Although the power restored, a total of 66 kilometers of rapids in 26 tributaries. station has had a fish ladder since it was built in Around 60 kilometers of rapids in parts of 25 tributaries the 1950’s, salmon and sea trout had found it very have been restored using best-practice methods. difficult to get past it. Since the power station is A further 5.7 kilometers of rapids in stretches of river pre- located downstream of where the Vindel River joins viously restored have been restored using more advanced the Ume River, it is indeed a migration obstacle methods, known as demonstration restoration. for anadromous fish in the Vindel River, so the fish Twenty splash dams have been removed and around 1,000 ladder has along with a series of other measures gravel beds – the spawning beds where many fish deposit downstream of it, considerably improved the ability their eggs – have been recreated. of the fish to migrate into the Vindel River.

17 A brown trout on migration in the Vindel River – a resource worth protecting and developing. Photo: Anders Esselin

An appeal to all who fish in the Vindel River system

In order to make the restoration of the Vindel River system 100% successful, we need your help. The amount of stone, gravel or dead wood put in place is irrelevant if the fish are not able to reproduce before they are caught. Northern waters are relatively poor in terms of nutrients and not very productive, so the fish need time to grow and reach reproductive maturity. The Vindel River LIFE project therefore appeals to all who fish to follow the rules in the fishing management areas to protect and further improve fishing in the Vindel River valley. The fish in the river and its tributaries are a resource worth protecting and developing, especially for future generations.

18 Photo: Anders Esselin

19 The effects of the restoration varies

The stream modifications to improve the floating efficien- cy caused significant environmental damage. Vindel River LIFE included a number of measures aiming to recreate a more diverse aquatic environment. It is clear that destruc- tion of the environment can happen quickly, but recovery can take a long time.

Vindel River LIFE put in place a number of mea- between streams that have been restored using sures in order to recreate a more diverse aquatic demonstration measures and streams that were environment in streams that had previously been previously restored using best-practice methods. cleared for timber floating. Hence, we have not compared streams that have The project has restored 54 hectares of habitat. been restored using demonstration methods with With the removal of 20 dams, 241 kilometers of channelized streams, where the differences would rapids have been reopened and almost 4,000 hect- presumably have been clearer. ares of lake area have become accessible. A large number of previously closed-off side channels have Water flow also been opened up, which has made a further 27 hectares of water available alongside 152 kilome- Demonstration restoration has reduced water flow ters of watercourse. velocities by 24 per cent and increased the width Because the demonstration restoration is a com- of the streams by 13 per cent compared to before pletely new method, the project has monitored both restoration. The flow velocities and width of the the physical and the biological effects of its actions. streams used as references did not change between The reference sites for these follow-up studies are the two points in time. in the same catchment and were restored between Demonstration restoration also produced current 2003 and 2005 using best-practice methods. velocities that were considerably more varied in The results reported below are a comparison comparison with the reference streams, which is a

20 There were more naturally-occurring seedlings in the demonstration areas, which may be due to more seeds being trapped by trees and stones along the water’s edge.

Photo: Anders Esselin natural consequence of the increased complexity in borealis), sheathed sedge (Carex vaginata), May streams that have undergone demonstration resto- lily (Maianthemum bifolium) and mountain melick ration. (Melica nutans). European goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), wood Riverside plants cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum), stone bramble (Rubus saxatilis) and bog bilberry (Vaccinium ulig- The stretches of streams that had undergone inosum) were found throughout the riparian zone in demonstration restoration in 2010 had a slightly both types of restoration sites. larger number of plant types than the reference sites In sample areas close to the water in the demon- that were restored between 2003 and 2005. In our stration areas, species normally found further above sample squares closest to the water we often found the water (e.g. lingonberry and chickweed-win- purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea), meadow- tergreen) were more prevalent, which is probably sweet (Filipendula ulmaria), marsh violet (Viola because these areas were further above the water palustris), common valerian (Valeriana sambuci- before the restoration. folia) and yellow sedge (Carex flava). Further up Three different kinds of seeds were sown in from the water there was a change in the vegetation various places along the water’s edge to find out and the most common plant types there were ling- whether summertime environmental conditions in onberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), chickweed-winter- the demonstration locations differed from those in green (Trientalis europaea), twinflower (Linnaea the reference sites.

21 Chickweed-wintergreen is one of the most common plant types further up from the water.

Photo: Roland Jansson

The seeds were similar in growth success in both of fish in 2010, 2013 and 2015 at both the reference types of location, so it is likely that the conditions sites and the demonstration sites. In 2013, there did not differ. were more fish generally, and this was probably due However, there were more naturally-occurring to favorable conditions for fish that particular year. seedlings in the demonstration areas than in the ref- The summer of 2014 was unusually warm in north- erence sites in summer 2013. This did not appear to ern Sweden, which is partly why there were only a be due to soil chemistry or availability of nutrients; few one-year-old fish in 2015. nitrogen, phosphorus and pH levels were the same Across all locations, there were a total of ten fish in both types of area. species: brown trout (Salmo trutta), salmon (Sal- It is more likely that this difference is due to mo salar), bullhead (Cottus gobio), brook lamprey more seeds being trapped along the water’s edge (Lampetra planeri), minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus), in the demonstration areas. The trees and stones in grayling (Thymallus thymallus), northern pike the demonstration sites may thus provide condi- (Esox lucius), roach (Rutilus rutilus), burbot (Lota tions that make it easier for plants to reach suitable lota) and perch (Perca fluviatilis). habitats. Brown trout and bullhead were by far the most dominant species, accounting for a combined 80 per Fish cent of all individual fish. There was no difference between the demonstration sites and the refer- Electro fishing was used to count different species ence sites in terms of the number of fish and their

22 Electro fishing was used to count different species of fish in 2010, 2013 and 2015 at both the reference sites and the demonstration sites

Photo: Anders Esselin biomass. It is likely that measuring took place too changes dramatically. Snowmelt flows last only soon after the restoration work for anything to have three to four weeks, but during that short period the changed. water’s pH decreases. Because of these annual min- Between 2010 and 2015, the amount of fish imum levels of pH, fish can be negatively affected, increased most in Beukabäcken and Mattjockbäck- even if the water during most of the year does not en. Hence, the fish in these two tributaries seemed have harmfully low pH values. A low pH results in to respond better to demonstration restoration than more bioavailable aluminum, which sticks to the fish at other sites. One explanation may be that the gills and prevents the fish from taking up oxygen water chemistry was particularly favorable in these from the water. tributaries. However, if there is a lot of loose organic matter Water samples were collected from the demon- that binds up the toxic aluminum, fish can better stration sites between December 2014 and Oc- handle temporary low pH values. Thus, the fact that tober 2015. The results show that Beukabäcken the chemical environments in Beukabäcken and and Mattjockbäcken had high values of dissolved Mattjockbäcken included lot of dissolved organic 2- 3- organic carbon, nitrate (NO3 ), phosphate (PO4 ) material (DOC) seems to be favorable for fish. and aluminum (Al3+) and high minimum pH (lowest In the summer of 2015 we studied how fish move value measured). within and between streams. Fish caught by elec- Fish prefer water that does not have a very low trofishing were labeled with small pit-tags (acoustic pH. During the spring flood, the water chemistry transmitters). Labeled fish were tracked with por-

23 Brown trout prefer to deposit their eggs in the center of the spawning beds and a little downstream of the middle.

Photo: Stefan Ågren table and stationary antennas. The results showed Together with the fact that several salmon have that the amount of fish that can be found in an area been found in other tributaries restored by our varies substantially over time. In Beukabäcken, project, this is evidence that the salmon not only between June and August, 53% of the trout moved stay in the Vindel River main channel but also need from one part of the stream to another and 8% of the tributaries and smaller streams during their life the trout had, between late August and mid-Sep- cycle. tember, left Beukabäcken for the Vindel River main channel. Spawning beds To obtain better fish stock assessments it is important to do follow-up studies that cover larger The spawning beds created as part of the project areas and over longer periods, e.g. during the sum- had a median depth of 0.25–0.72 meters at the mer and fall. center of the bed. To find out whether the compo- In Sweden, there is a yearly national monitoring sition of the spawning gravel changed over time, program of salmon and trout. In 2014, they found the pebbles in the uppermost layer of the spawning 1-year old salmon in the lower section of Gierts- beds were measured during the 2011 and 2013 field bäcken, a small tributary to the Vindel River. This is seasons. the first time since the national monitoring program Results showed that the average size of the started that salmon have been found in tributaries so spawning gravel increased between these years, far up in the Vindel River system. indicating that the finer gravel is transported

24 The freshwater pearl mussel is identified as one species that may receive long-term benefits from the project

Photo: Johanna Gardeström downstream by the currents and the spawning of of deeper spawning beds with more gravel in the the fish. During the field work, it was impossible middle and lower sections. at times of high water level to wade out and do the measurements at seven of the total 27 spawning Species particularly worthy beds studied. It turned out later that these seven of protection spawning beds had eroded away three years after they had been constructed. The lesson from this is Vindel River LIFE has identified several species that spawning beds should never be constructed that may receive long-term benefits from the proj- in areas where it is impossible to stand at times of ect, such as salmon and brown trout. Some of these high water flow. are species designated by the EU as particularly The fish’s spawning activity also affects how worthy of protection within the Natura 2000 net- long a spawning bed lasts. Results show that brown work, i.e. salmon, bullhead, brook lamprey, fresh- trout prefer to deposit their eggs in the center of water pearl mussel and otter. the spawning beds and a little downstream of the During the inventory process, the project found middle, and that females cover the eggs with gravel that otters (like mink) were found in most trib- from areas directly upstream of the redd (spawning utaries, and they were found just as often in the hollow). demonstration areas as in the reference areas. The To ensure the spawning beds last longer, Vindel distribution range of these animals is greater than River LIFE therefore recommends the construction the length of the stream stretches studied, which

25 Otters were found in most tributaries.

Illustration: Chris Shields

means it is impossible to evaluate the effect of the getting there. There may also be obstacles prevent- demonstration restoration on otters. ing species from moving into the area. In such cases options might include actively reintroducing the Time is crucial species or restoring parts of the surrounding landscape to make it easier for species to spread. It is not surprising that the project does not note any In the case of long-distance migratory fish such major biological differences between the demon- as trout and salmon, the areas to be monitored are stration areas and the areas previously restored very extensive, since these fish need to be able to using the best-practice method; studies in other travel both to and from their spawning grounds and countries have had similar results. There may be to find food in the sea. In these cases, it is crucial many reasons for this, but one of the most import- to have good management of the species in consul- ant is time. We can destroy our natural environment tation with the relevant users of the land and water. quickly, but it takes a long time – several decades – This mainly involves regulating fishing, both in the for it to recover. sea and in the river and its tributaries. The increas- Another important reason is that the populations ing number of salmon fry recorded in recent years of many species are too small to enable them to in several of the project’s restored tributaries natu- spread effectively to the restored area. The popula- rally increases the total production potential of the tions that are able to spread may also be located too river, which in the long term may provide increased far from the restored area to have any real chance of opportunities for fishing.

26 The brook lamprey is one of the species designated by the EU as particularly worthy of protection within the Natura 2000 network.

Illustration: Susanne Enetjärn

Of course it is possible that there are species that have responded positively only a few years after Results the restoration; however, there have not yet been sufficient studies of these species in the follow-up Approximately 54 hectares of wetted habitat have been program. added as a result of the restorations. It may also be the case that certain survey meth- Twenty splash dams have been removed, which has led to ods are not appropriate for finding all species and the reopening of 241 kilometers of rapids and almost 4,000 individual specimens of a particular group of organ- hectares of newly-available lake habitat. isms. For example, electro fishing was used because Many closed-off side channels have been opened up, most of the streams involved in the project were too which has created 27 hectares of watercourse available stony and shallow for diving. alongside 152 kilometers of streams. So, in order to get a clear picture of how the Almost 1,000 spawning beds have been created for fish. organisms respond to restoration, many different More than 60,000 cubic meters of stone have been moved species should be studied at the same time – both in from the banks and margins into the water. the water and in the riparian zone – and the studies should extend over several years. Demonstration restoration has slowed water flow by 24 per cent, widened streams by 13 per cent and led to considerably more diverse currents.

27 Photo: Johanna Gardeström

28 Many different information channels

One of the aims of Vindel River LIFE has been to increase understanding of stream restoration amongst the general public and decision-makers. To achieve this, the project has taken part in hundreds of meetings, worked in partnership with the Nature School in Umeå and shared its knowledge through its website, information material and the media.

Since the project started in 2010, Vindel River LIFE important for the delivery of projects such as Vindel has taken part in over 300 different meetings where River LIFE. Other lessons were that knowledge ac- it has presented the plans, goals, work and results of quired should be shared and made more accessible the project. (see RiverWiki: https://restorerivers.eu/wiki), and Many of these meetings were initiated and or- that ways must be found to reach decision-makers. ganized by the project. For example, Vindel River We also arranged over a hundred meetings, most LIFE began with a seminar in Umeå which brought of them in the field, with stakeholders such as land- together 25 attendees from universities, authorities, owners, Sami communities and fishing management municipalities and companies. organizations. These meetings were always held on The project’s closing conference in Lycksele, the stakeholders’ home arena and took place in the ‘Reviving waters’, attracted over 100 delegates evening, so that as many people as possible could from 10 different countries. It was a successful take part. conference with over 30 excellent presentations and The Vindel River LIFE project was also present- a large number of contributions from practitioners, ed at many other conferences and seminars, both in researchers and representatives from authorities Sweden and abroad. and interest groups; one of the great strengths of the conference was the mix of participants. One Information material and media lesson learned from the event was that partnerships between different players and sectors are hugely The core of the project’s information activity was

29 Sharing knowledge

Representatives of Vindel River LIFE have taken part in over 300 different meetings. More than 100 of the meetings have been held along the Vindel River, aimed at landown- ers, Sami communities and fishery management areas.

The project’s closing conference in Lycksele, ‘Reviving waters’, attracted over 100 delegates from 10 different countries.

The www.vindelriverlife.se website was the core of the project’s information activity.

The Nature School in Umeå was responsible for education and skills development in the classroom and in the field Genom att studera livet i vattnet lär sig eleverna om vattenmiljö- along the river. erna längs Vindelälvens stränder. Photo: Leopold Sjöström the project website (www.vindelriverlife.se) which for teachers on river-related outdoor education. The has been continuously updated. The website fea- aim of this was to raise awareness and to develop tures two leaflets and three films about the project, interest in and knowledge of the cultural heritage which have been extensively used to spread infor- and ecology of the streams and their surrounding mation about the project. Much of the information environments. material was also produced in English. Some Nature School activity took place in the The project featured in several articles in both classroom, but in most cases it involved teachers local and national newspapers and magazines as and children being taken out to the river. The Na- well as on TV and radio. ture School also produced study materials about the To date, the research undertaken in the tributaries Vindel River and the Ume River intended as aids restored using demonstration methods has given for teachers working with students in grades 4-6 rise to more than ten scientific articles in interna- (10-13 year olds). The material includes subjects tional journals. such as history, civics, natural science-related subjects, Swedish and maths, and demonstrates how The Nature School Norrland’s local cultural heritage has had an impact on both the economy and ecology. The Nature School in Umeå played a central role in Vindel River LIFE. Their staff visited schools along the river and organized conferences and seminars

30 Facts about Vindel River LIFE

Project owner Project budget

Umeå University € 2 675 000, half financed by the EU and the other half financed by the County Administrative Board Project time of Västerbotten, Umeå municipality, Vännäs municipality, Vindelns municipality, Lycksele munici- From 2010 until October 2015 pality, Sorsele municipality, Arjeplogs municipality, Umeå University, Ume/Vindel River Fishery Advi- Project partners sory Board, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Umeå University, the Ume/Vindel River Fishery Water Management Advisory Board, the Swedish University of Ag- ricultural Sciences and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management

31 Between 1850 and 1970, there were large-scale timber floating operations on the Vindel River, in addition to other streams and rivers in northern and central Sweden. The only way to transport the logs from the inland forests to the coast was to float them on the river. To facilitate and speed up the transportation of timber, huge alterations of the river and its tributaries were made. The streams were straightened and channelized, boulders and bedrock were blown up, stone piers, splash dams, and flumes were built, and instream wood and rocks were cleared from the smaller tributaries. The changes to the streams brought about fundamental changes to the hydrology and ecology of the streams. It caused enormous damage to the natural environment and significantly restricted the habitat of plants and animals both in the streams and in the surrounding area.

This report is about the EU project ”Vindel River LIFE”, which was a collaboration between Umeå University, Ume / Vindel River Fishery Advisory Board, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the Swedish Agen- cy for Marine and Water Management. The project’s objective was to restore tributaries to the Vindel River that had been negatively affected by timber floating so as to recreate a more diverse aquatic environment favorable to plants and animals.

For more information about Vindel River LIFE, visit the project website:

www.vindelriverlife.se

Or contact:

Johanna Gardeström, project manager +46 (0) 90 786 65 61, [email protected]

Daniel Holmqvist, technical coordinator +46 (0) 950 164 14, [email protected]