Bóbr River fish kill after Pilchowice reservoir water release leads to ban

A controlled release of water from the Pilchowice reservoir, owned by Tauron Ekoenergia, was carried out to enable a 93 million zł dam renovation. The release caused a massive die‑off of fish and other aquatic organisms in the Bóbr River, with more than 20 tonnes of dead fish removed and thousands of additional deaths reported.

The Lower Silesian governor, Anna Żabska, imposed an immediate ban on any recreational, agricultural or animal‑drinking use of the river from the Pilchowice dam to the Rakowice reservoir after sanitary tests showed the water did not meet bathing standards. The Regional Sanitary Inspectorate confirmed microbiological risks, and the Governmental Centre for Security issued an alert for residents of Lwówek Śląski County.

The District Prosecutor’s Office in Lwówek Śląski opened a criminal investigation under article 182 of the Polish Penal Code for an environmental offence. Prosecutors are seizing documentation from Tauron and the construction firm Naviga‑Stal. The Ministry of Climate and Environment, together with a special Odra‑river team, is monitoring the situation, while Tauron has set up a social council and announced a remediation program that includes restocking and scientific cooperation.

Local activists and residents have protested, demanding accountability, penalties for the companies involved, and full restoration of the river ecosystem at the companies’ expense.