Résumé :
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The Balkan region is where one can still find the wildest and most beautiful rivers of Europe. These rivers are one of the most important hotspots for European freshwater biodiversity. However, about 2,800 HPP (hydropower plants) are projected to be built in the next few years, leaving very few rivers untouched. Among the multitude of rivers currently threatened by dam projects in the Balkan region is the transboundary river Aoos/ Vjosa with its source in Greece and its mouth in the Adriatic Sea in Albania. 38 hydropower plants are planned along the Aoos/ Vjosa catchment, including 31 projected in the Albanian catchment. The first hydropower plant that enetred the implementation process in Albania along the Vjosa River is the Kalivaç project close to the city of Tepelena. The construction of this dam started in 2007, but was halted several times and is currently only 30% constructed. The biggest threat along the Albanian part of the river is the planned construction of the Poçem hydropower plant. Given the immediate and important threats faced by the river systems of the Balkan region, several international initiatives have been engaged including the “Save the Blue Heart of Europe” campaign led by RiverWatch and EuroNatur NGOs in cooperation with local partners, aiming to save this European heritage from destruction. The Aoos / Vjosa River has been under the close scrutiny of the “Save the Blue Heart of Europe” campaign. Scientific knowledge about this river and its biodiversity is very limited as until recently it was one of the least explored large rivers in Europe. A biological baseline survey is being carried out, involving the contribution of many scientists, aimed at collecting data on the ecological aspects most relevant for the Environmental Impact Assessment. These studies aim to provide scientific information for decision makers and to facilitate cooperation between Albanian institutions and international experts, researchers and national authorities for the protection of the river. In order to contribute to this initiative, a team of biologists from the Tour du Valat (France) and the University of Tirana (Albania) organized a rapid survey in May 2019, targeting areas currently threatened by Poçem and Kalivaç HPP projects. This short report presents the survey carried out, its main results and it provides information on the foreseen impacts these dam projects could have on the biodiversity we studied.
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