Two giant dams changed Europe’s second-longest river. Decades later, scientists found the Danube Delta was being starved of sediment

The Danube’s sediment supply to its delta has significantly decreased due to upstream engineering works. Large dams like the Iron Gates trap sediment, altering the natural balance of the delta. This reduction in material has led to increased coastal erosion along the delta’s seaward edge. Recently, ten obsolete dams were removed from smaller rivers to reconnect fragmented habitats.