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Free Webinar: European Open Rivers Programme.

Creating free-flowing rivers with healthy, diverse and connected ecosystems across Europe

Webinar

LAWPRO & The Rivers Trust, through The iCatch Hub Network will be hosting a free webinar on to inform you on the European Open Rivers Programme.

Free Webinar: Creating free-flowing rivers with healthy, diverse and connected ecosystems across Europe

Time: 21 May 2026: 19:30–20:30

The Open Rivers Programme

The Open Rivers Programme was created to restore European rivers that have become heavily fragmented due to the proliferation of in-stream barriers. It provides grants to support projects aimed at removing small dams and restoring river flow and biodiversity. This funding opportunity is ideal for projects dedicated to revitalising Europe’s river ecosystems by removing obsolete river barriers. These efforts align with the Programme’s mission to restore endangered European rivers by supporting interventions that lead to the removal of small dams and the restoration of river flow and biodiversity.

Call for applications open from 13:00 CEST on 1st June 2026, with a submission deadline set for 13:00 CEST on 26th June 2026. For full details on how to apply and access all the necessary resources, visit the “Apply for a Grant” page at openrivers.eu . There, you’ll find detailed guidelines and helpful materials to guide you in submitting a strong proposal.

Click here to apply via the online portal

About author

EPA Catchments Unit

Administrator

The EPA Catchments Unit is based in Dublin, and the team is involved with catchment science, chemistry, ecology, hydromorphology, modelling, Geographic Information Systems and planning. We work with the wider EPA, all of our local authorities, the Local Authority Waters and Communities Office, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and other public bodies and Departments to ensure we have the best available data and information about our catchments.

Who is involved?
Quite simply, everyone in Ireland has a role to play. This can be from something as simple as making sure you don’t pollute your local stream, or a local community working together to establish a Rivers Trust to enhance the rivers and lakes in their area, to a Government Department or Agency helping a Minister implement a new policy to help protect and enhance all our water bodies.

This website has been developed and is maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a collaboration between the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Local Authority Waters Programme.

Local Authority Waters Programme

The Local Authority Waters Programme coordinates the efforts of local authorities and other public bodies in the implementation of the River Basin Management Plan, and supports local community and stakeholder involvement in managing our natural waters, for everyone’s benefit.

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is responsible for coordinating the monitoring, assessment and reporting on the status of our 4,842 water bodies, looking at trends and changes, determining which waterbodies are at risk and what could be causing this, and drafting environmental objectives for each.

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Department is responsible for making sure that the right policies, regulations and resources are in place to implement the Water Framework Directive, and developing a River Basin Management Plan and Programme of Measures to protect and restore our waters.