Stream Revitalisation

The publication addresses the long-term development of river network. The Central European region has been influenced by human activity for millennia. In recent centuries, irreversible changes have already taken place in many locations. Ore mining, the expansion of urban agglomerations, a significant increase in population, and the need to ensure their sustenance and protection have led to the necessity of major interventions in the river network. In many cases, these interventions were unavoidable even from today’s perspective; in many cases, they were necessary given the specific circumstances of the time, and often saved thousands of lives. The flip side of this coin was the impact on the river ecosystem, life in the watercourses, and the condition of riparian and associated vegetation, including floodplain forests. Today, we face the important task of determining what is permissible, beneficial and necessary for society in terms of water management interventions, and what can be done differently. The revitalisation of watercourses and their surroundings demonstrates the possibility of returning to a state closer to the natural one, whilst retaining most of the requirements placed on the watercourse. Revitalisation measures should not compromise the existing level of flood protection; on the contrary, increased landscape retention should enhance this protection. Revitalisation should also contribute to enhancing species diversity and improving water quality.