Project at a Glance
-First field-verified river barrier inventory in Cyprus
-Over 100 km of river network surveyed
-Enhancing connectivity across four Natura 2000 sites
-Focus on restoring connectivity for the critically endangered European eel
-Open-access database and interactive map
– Identification of priority barriers for future removal
Project Overview
The Phragmographysis Project is dedicated to restoring river connectivity in Cyprus, with a focus on the Diarizos catchment. The project will create the country’s first open-access, field-verified inventory and digital map of river barriers. By documenting the location, characteristics, condition, ownership, and ecological impacts of these structures, the project will identify and prioritise non-essential barriers with restoration potential that could be removed to restore natural river processes and improve ecological connectivity.
The project is funded by the Open Rivers Programme and implemented by Frederick Research Center in partnership with Terra Cypria.
Why This Project Matters:
Across Europe, thousands of small artificial structures such as culverts, fords, and low weirs fragment river systems, disrupting sediment transport, altering natural flows, degrading habitat quality, and blocking the movement of aquatic species. In Cyprus, many of these barriers remain undocumented because existing datasets rely largely on desktop assessments that often overlook smaller structures.
By filling this knowledge gap, the project will provide the evidence needed to support future barrier removal and river restoration actions. These efforts can help reconnect habitats for the critically endangered European eel (Anguilla anguilla), improve ecosystem functioning, and enhance biodiversity within four Natura 2000 protected areas of the Diarizos catchment.
The project will also provide national authorities with robust field data that support implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, which includes a target to restore 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers across Europe.
Project Description:
The project will establish the first open-access, field-verified inventory of longitudinal river barriers within the Diarizos catchment. A weighted prioritisation framework will assess barriers based on ecological and hydromorphological benefits, technical feasibility, social acceptance, legal constraints, cost, and potential risks. The process will produce a shortlist of at least five candidate barriers for future restoration action.
From this shortlist, one or two priority barriers will be selected for detailed evaluation and preparation of a future Open Rivers Programme ORP-A2 barrier removal application
Project Activities
- Preparatory Phase
Development of survey protocols, project database, website, stakeholder mapping, and compilation of existing ecological information.2. River Barrier Survey
Field surveys along more than 100 km of the Diarizos river network to map and assess river barriers and their ecological impacts.3. Stakeholder Engagement
Consultation with local communities, authorities, and river users to evaluate barrier utility and support future restoration actions.4. Barrier Prioritisation and Database Publication
Publication of Cyprus’ first open-access, field-verified river barrier inventory and application of a prioritisation framework to identify restoration opportunities.5. Restoration Planning and Dissemination
Selection of priority barriers for future removal, preparation of an ORP-A2 application, and dissemination of project results to stakeholders and the public.
Project Factsheet
Project ID: 2026-12-835
Duration : 03/2026 – 02/2027 (12 Months)
Lead Partner : Frederick Research Center (FRC-NCU)
Supporting Partner: Terra Cypria (TC)
Phragmographysis is funded by Open Rivers Programme. The European Open Rivers Programme is a Dutch grant-giving organisation dedicated to restoring rivers. The programme offers grants to support projects that lead to the removal of small dams and the restoration of river flow and biodiversity. The programme is funded by Arcadia.Find more information here https://openrivers.eu/