DAMPLANS ON THE RAUNDALSELVA, NORWAY
By : Mariann saether
Photo: B. Hjort
25 years ago the township of Voss first propsed plans to dam the Raundalselvi.
The plan to build an 80 meter tall dam ended in the government stepping in with a permanent protection of the entire river. This is also the case when it comes to the Sjoa river in Gudbrandsdalen. Now Voss Energi and BKK (hydro company) and the township of Voss has asked the government to lift the protection of the river and allow for an extensive damming of the entire waterway. Their key point is that there will not be a dam in the open, but inside the mountain, as also proposed on the Otta river in Gudbrandsdalen.
There are also plans to dam most of the sidecreeks to the Raundalselvi, which means that we will lose the Urdlandselvi and its famous double-drop, and also Tunnel-drop and Germanfalls in the top reaches of the river. There will be no Nosebreaker anymore, nor a Trainstation-run.
The main alternative they are looking at will generate 510 GWh, which corresponds to electricity to 25 000 homes. Furthermore, the hydro company emphasizes the need for "cleaner" energy with the increase of CO2 in the athmosphere, hence trying to sell this to the general public as "green energy".
Minimum flow in the summer will be 6.5 cumecs, which is pretty much a dry riverbed.
The kayakers are standing up against the plans with a FB-group "Ja til vidare vern av Raundalselva", and a petition to be signed by as many as possible via this link:
http://raundalselvi.invoss.com/
Please help us show the township of Voss that this is not acceptable, and that there is worldwide resistance to these plans!
Mariann Saether.
By : Mariann saether
Photo: B. Hjort
25 years ago the township of Voss first propsed plans to dam the Raundalselvi.
The plan to build an 80 meter tall dam ended in the government stepping in with a permanent protection of the entire river. This is also the case when it comes to the Sjoa river in Gudbrandsdalen. Now Voss Energi and BKK (hydro company) and the township of Voss has asked the government to lift the protection of the river and allow for an extensive damming of the entire waterway. Their key point is that there will not be a dam in the open, but inside the mountain, as also proposed on the Otta river in Gudbrandsdalen.
There are also plans to dam most of the sidecreeks to the Raundalselvi, which means that we will lose the Urdlandselvi and its famous double-drop, and also Tunnel-drop and Germanfalls in the top reaches of the river. There will be no Nosebreaker anymore, nor a Trainstation-run.
The main alternative they are looking at will generate 510 GWh, which corresponds to electricity to 25 000 homes. Furthermore, the hydro company emphasizes the need for "cleaner" energy with the increase of CO2 in the athmosphere, hence trying to sell this to the general public as "green energy".
Minimum flow in the summer will be 6.5 cumecs, which is pretty much a dry riverbed.
The kayakers are standing up against the plans with a FB-group "Ja til vidare vern av Raundalselva", and a petition to be signed by as many as possible via this link:
http://raundalselvi.invoss.com/
Please help us show the township of Voss that this is not acceptable, and that there is worldwide resistance to these plans!
Mariann Saether.
Stories
 |  |  |  |
