Norway’s Raundalselva: saved. Norway’s Rivers: not so much.

A huge hydropower project was proposed on one of the most stunning rivers in Norway. Some locals decided to defend their river with little more than dedication, a few ideas, and some help from the Free Rivers Fund. And they succeeded.

The Raundalselva, world-famous among kayakers and one of the few unaltered rivers in Western Norway, with its crystal-clear water, flows freely through large areas of untouched forest. But where there is a river, there are hydropower developers who want to dam it. For decades, people have had to defend the Raundalselva time and again.

« Hydropower proposals had been simmering in recent years, disguised as a flood prevention scheme »

Hydropower proposals had been simmering in recent years, disguised as a flood prevention scheme; the whole river was to be redirected underground and diverted into huge tunnels. It was a multi-million-dollar undertaking, conveniently paid for by the hydropower plant included in the project, with no regard for alternative flood prevention solutions. But the developers made their plans without accounting for a handful of determined locals who managed to defend the Raundalselva once again.

Through community work that included scientists and politicians, presentations, panel discussions, outdoor ecology education events, and by promoting the value of a free-flowing Raundalselva, they succeeded: Voss eventually decided on a flood prevention scheme without diversion tunnels or hydropower development.

Sadly, this good news also comes with a bitter aftertaste, as Norway recently revoked environmental protections for 390 rivers, leaving those once protected vulnerable to hydropower development. These are some of the last truly wild, free-flowing rivers in Europe. They are now vulnerable to exploitation.

« The Free Rivers Fund is keeping an eye on Norway, and you should too »

The decision is a huge step back in the decades-long struggle for river conservation in Norway and is bound to lead to an endless stream of new hydropower proposals. The Free Rivers Fund is keeping an eye on Norway, and you should too. Find out more about the Raundalselva and help the Free Rivers Fund support more projects like this at freerivers.org

For more information, read this article.

Words: Anne Stevens (Free Rivers Fund) | Photography: Halvor Heggem

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