The Kľúčovské rameno arm – already the eighth arm, which, together with partner organizations, we managed to restore in the river branch system of the Danube.
Together we are celebrating another significant milestone in our efforts to restore the Danube inland delta.
Work began in March and finished in November 2019. A side overflow was built at the inlet of the arm, thanks to which the Danube water flows into the branch system. The section of the trough more than a kilometer long was also cleaned – to a width of 17 m at the bottom and a total length of 1284.24 m.
After adjustments on the Danube, when the straight main stream was created, the Kľúčov branch system remained partially separated from the main flow. So the water stopped flowing here. As a result of these adjustments, the entire river branch system was heavily clogged and the whole ecosystem was significantly depleted. Species diversity has decreased significantly in many other animal species that are linked to a dynamic, extremely diverse river ecosystem.
Thanks to the flowing water, the fish will come back to the arm, to their reproduction places. The renewed dynamics in the arm will allow natural formation of steep river banks, but also of shallows, gravel benches or periodically emerging wetlands – habitats to which a number of animals are bound by food or reproduction. The gradual flushing of fine sediments from the bottom will be reflected in more efficient water filtration – groundwater reservoirs will be better filled and water will pass through the most effective natural filter – through gravel deposits.