A power plant will be demolished. This will clear River Örekilsälven of migration barriers so that salmon, sea lamprey, eels and other migratory species can reach important spawning and nursery areas.
River Örekilsälven, which flows into the Saltkällefjorden bay, accounts for around eight percent of the total salmon smolt production in the waters of Sweden’s west coast, making it the most important salmon river in the area. Species such as trout, eel and sea lamprey are also found here, as well as birds and mammals such as the common tern, common grayling, otter and several species of bats. In the past, the river has been heavily impacted by dams, power plant construction and gutting.
Once the power plant is demolished, the river will be completely free of migration obstacles.
Free from migration barriers
Nowadays, both past and ongoing environmental projects in the Örekil River basin have improved the situation, such as habitat restoration and removal of road culverts and other migration barriers. In 2024, the dam at Lilla Röd, upstream of Kärnsjön, was demolished.
The planned demolition of the hydropower plant at Torp, closer to the sea, will eliminate an important migration barrier and open up about ten hectares of habitat for salmon and 1,500 hectares of lake habitat for eels. Once the power plant is demolished, the river will be completely free of migration barriers, from the headwaters to the sea.
Water flow will benefit
A new dam with a fishway will be built 200 meters upstream to ensure water supply and improve regulation of Lake Kärnsjön. The construction of the new dam is crucial to the success of many of the planned actions in the basin, and is part of the extensive environmental and nature conservation work being carried out under Improve Aquatic LIFE.
Outside the Improve Aquatic LIFE project, the County Administrative Board of Västra Götaland is also working to restore wetlands that have been drained in the upper parts of the catchment area. Directly downstream of Torp, the river will be biotope restored after having previously been float-cleaned. This assignment is being carried out by Munkedal municipality as the principal.
The combined measures will improve hydrology and benefit water flow in the Örekil river basin.