Draining of Pilchowice reservoir for dam repairs kills thousands of fish and prompts crisis response
The partial draining of the Pilchowice reservoir in Lower Silesia to repair a damaged dam has led to a mass die-off of fish, with tons of carcasses contaminating the Bóbr River and prompting health warnings and political controversy.
Background
The Pilchowice Dam, over a century old and the second largest in Poland, required repairs after sustaining damage in the 2024 flood. TAURON Ekoenergia began draining the reservoir in February 2026 to facilitate the 93 million PLN renovation, the first such emptying since 1977.
The draining and the heatwave
As the water level dropped, the final stage was timed for late June, coinciding with a severe heatwave. Temperatures soared to 38–39°C, with a record 40.5°C recorded in neighboring Lubuskie. On 29 June, the release of accumulated bottom sediment into the Bóbr River caused oxygen levels to plummet, suffocating fish en masse.
- Draining of the reservoir begins to allow dam repairs
- Final draining stage during heatwave; sediment release causes mass fish suffocation
- Anglers and residents attempt to save remaining fish
- Crisis teams meet; authorities issue water contact warnings
Extent of the disaster
By 1 July, the reservoir was nearly empty, revealing a landscape of mud, debris, and thousands of dead fish. Local anglers described the scene as a "fish cemetery." Over 11 tons of dead fish have been collected so far, with many more washed downstream.
It's not just about the fish, but also the invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, waterfowl that disappeared instantly from this section of the river.
Rescue efforts and criticism
Anglers from Koło PZW Grodzkie Jelenia Góra mounted a spontaneous rescue on 30 June, catching and relocating surviving fish. They reported that only small species like bream, roach, ide, perch, and eel made it through the dam's grates. They expressed frustration that earlier offers of help were ignored.
The scale of the damage is horrifying, and the smell is indescribable. Only small fish survived... We came determined to do something to reduce the losses, although we all know it's far too late.
Official response and measures
On 1 July, powiat and voivodeship crisis teams were convened, involving the voivode, environmental inspectorate, sanitary authorities, and Wody Polskie. Initial water quality tests showed deterioration, but drinking water remained safe. Authorities urged residents to avoid contact with the river.
The situation on the Bóbr River after the Pilchowice reservoir was emptied is being monitored by all relevant services. So far, no threat to drinking water quality has been detected.
TAURON deployed a containment boom to limit silt spread and nets to contain dead fish. Oxygenation pumps are being organized. The company stated that the operation was supervised by ichthyologists and that regular fish catches had been conducted for months, but the extraordinary heat and silt volume overwhelmed those efforts.
Political fallout
The disaster drew sharp political criticism. MP Marek Gróbarczyk of Law and Justice blamed Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska and Deputy Minister Urszula Zielińska for allowing the draining during extreme heat, calling it negligence and a true picture of Donald Tusk's government.
Hennig-Kloska and Ula Zielińska are directly responsible for hundreds of thousands of dead fish in the Pilchowice reservoir. These two eco-liars allowed the reservoir to be emptied in the summer, which led to mass fish deaths.
