Story 1 min

Restoration of Juktån

In the early 20th century, the river Juktån served as a timber transport route, leading to significant disruption of the aquatic environment.

Short facts

Juktån river, Sweden
Trout and grayling
Restore spawning areas
2016–2025

The clearing of waterways for timber floating and the construction of piers damaged spawning and nursery areas for stream-dwelling fish. In the late 1960s, the Juktån power station was completed, which diverted most of the river’s flow and further impacted the aquatic ecosystems.

In 2016, Vattenfall, University of Umeå, Samverkan Umeälven, and other power companies initiated a project to restore Juktån. The project aimed to adjust the minimum flow to a more natural distribution, mimicking spring floods and lower winter flows. The aim was also to restore and create new spawning areas for trout and grayling, increase stream habitat areas, and enhance Juktån’s appeal as a fishing and recreational site.

The restoration was completed in autumn 2020, and the ecological effects are monitored and evaluated. So far, the results are promising, with a slight increase in trout abundance and a rise in aquatic plant species typical of stream habitats.

More about biodiversity

Biodiversity and nature protection are a priority at Vattenfall. It is one of the focus areas in our environmental policy and therefore also a central part in our environmental work.