MedINA has submitted a policy prief (available only in greek) to the competent authorities on the need to establish and implement an ecological flow regime at the Aoos Springs Hydropower Plant (HPP) dam, with the aim of advancing institutional action for the protection and restoration of the river.
This initiative follows and builds upon the scientific study carried out in 2025 by Riverwatch, EuroNatur, and MedINA, which highlighted the severe environmental impacts caused by the absence of ecological flow in the Aoos River downstream of the hydropower dam. For the first time, the study estimated the ecological flow requirements for this specific river section, providing scientific evidence for the need to restore flow to the riverbed in order to recover the natural functioning of the ecosystem.
The policy brief, prepared by MedINA, examines the current EU and national legal framework governing ecological flow and puts forward clear and concrete recommendations both for the establishment of ecological flow at the Aoos Springs HPP and for strengthening the broader institutional framework in Greece. At the same time, it underscores that establishing and implementing ecological flow is not only an environmental priority, but also a key obligation under European water and nature legislation.
The dissemination of the study and the policy brief seeks to contribute to an informed public dialogue and to the necessary institutional action for safeguarding the Aoos River.
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Further information:
The Aoos/Vjosa River is one of the last free-flowing rivers in Europe, supporting significant biodiversity and valuable ecosystems. However, since 1987, the operation of the Aoos Springs Hydropower Plant has resulted in the complete diversion of its natural flow toward the Arachthos River basin, interrupting the river’s continuity and leaving a substantial section without the water necessary to maintain its ecological balance.
According to the findings of the study “Ecological Flow Assessment for the Aoos River downstream of the Aoos Springs Dam (Reservoir)”, the lack of ecological flow has caused severe hydromorphological degradation and habitat loss in an area of high ecological value, with direct consequences for biodiversity and the river ecosystem as a whole.