Oxygen levels in the water have dropped to zero, while contamination could persist for as long as two years—this is the alarming assessment following the draining of the Pilchowice Reservoir by the state-owned energy company Tauron. Audio and video recordings from a local crisis management meeting reveal a series of major failures, negligence, and delays by multiple public institutions. Due to mistakes made during the dam renovation, millions of tons of toxic sediment are now being carried downstream, posing not only a severe ecological threat but, amid summer heat, also a potential public health risk.
A mass fish kill occurred in Lake Pilchowice and the Bóbr River after water was released from the reservoir. The dam is currently undergoing renovation by the state-owned company Tauron.
In response to the environmental disaster, two crisis management teams were convened: the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Crisis Management Team and the District Crisis Management Team in Lwówek Śląski. We have obtained an audio-video recording of Wednesday’s meeting in Lwówek Śląski. The footage paints a disturbing picture, suggesting that serious shortcomings in the planning and execution of the renovation contributed to what participants described as a major environmental disaster that may also endanger local residents.
What Was Revealed During the Crisis Meeting
The final stage of draining the reservoir, necessary to carry out repair work, took place last weekend. It was then that the mass fish die-off began. Water quality deteriorated dramatically as sediment from the lakebed was released and carried downstream by the Bóbr River.
During Wednesday’s meeting, officials warned that both shallow groundwater and deeper aquifers could be at risk, raising concerns about the safety of residents in Lwówek Śląski and communities further downstream.
Participants also stressed that there were far too few personnel available to collect dead fish, both near the reservoir and along the river.
According to those present, the reservoir had been thoroughly surveyed several years earlier. Experts reportedly concluded that fish could have been removed on a much larger scale before the reservoir was drained, which might have prevented the current disaster. That, however, was not done.
Lwówek Śląski Mayor Dawid Kobiałka said local anglers were deeply concerned about the “sludge” continuously flowing from the renovated dam toward the town. He asked Tauron representatives how long the sediment could continue to wash downstream.
The head of the environmental team working on the project acknowledged that once the water level reached the accumulated sediment, its volume proved to be far greater than previously anticipated.
“It is extremely difficult to predict when the sediment will stop flowing from the reservoir bed. We expect it may continue for a long time, but it is impossible to say when the situation will end.”
He added that the problem should disappear only after the reservoir is refilled—a process planned for two years after the renovation is completed.
One of Tauron’s directors admitted that only a small amount of sediment had been expected near the dam.
“No one on the team anticipated such enormous quantities or expected them to be drawn into the outflow so early during the draining process. The current situation is primarily the result of the unexpectedly large volume of sediment.”
He further stated:
“At this point, there is no way to stop the sediment. The river’s environmental flow must be maintained, and the river has to cleanse itself.”
One participant estimated that as much as 8 million tons of sediment could ultimately be washed downstream.
“This could continue for two years. Every storm, every rainfall, every influx of mountain water will keep washing it out,” he warned.
Anglers Describe Alarming Failures
Representatives of fishing organizations presented particularly troubling accounts during the meeting.
Among the examples cited was a fish barrier installed by the investor to capture fish being swept downstream. According to the anglers, the net had been positioned too high and failed to cover the water surface effectively.
The Polish Angling Association (Polski Związek Wędkarski) said Tauron had refused permission to conduct fish rescue operations before the reservoir was drained. The association’s lease agreement for the reservoir had previously been terminated. Anglers said they had been prepared to deploy around 30 volunteers at their own expense to reduce fish losses.
Instead, fish removal was reportedly entrusted to a private contractor.
“It was two elderly people in a single rowboat,” anglers told the crisis team.
For comparison, the Pilchowice Reservoir covers approximately 240 hectares.
Representatives of fishing organizations also stated that they had repeatedly sent letters urging that the final release of water should not proceed until fish had been properly removed, especially given the exceptionally high temperatures recorded on Sunday. According to them, those appeals received no response.
Questions Over Environmental Oversight
Wednesday’s meeting also exposed shortcomings in the response of the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (WIOŚ).
The Wrocław branch reportedly began collecting water samples from the Bóbr River only on Tuesday, after receiving instructions to do so, and by Wednesday still did not have a complete analysis available.
Officials were therefore able to report only oxygen saturation levels.
One statement made during the meeting was particularly alarming:
“There is no oxygen at all in the river near the dam.”
Participants noted that water quality continued to deteriorate as polluted water moved downstream.
Only on Wednesday did officials begin discussing possible methods of oxygenating the river. Representatives of the district fire service responded that using their available equipment would amount to nothing more than “churning the water” and would not solve the problem because they lacked equipment capable of effective aeration.
Following the discussion, the Sanitary Inspectorate said it would issue a public warning—only after several days had already passed since the crisis began.
It was also only on Wednesday that proposals were made to install additional nets and protective barriers.
Lower Silesian Voivode Anna Żabska participated in the meeting remotely. She stated that priorities included intensifying fish rescue efforts and introducing public warnings advising against using the river, but only after all outstanding water quality analyses had been completed.
Despite the severity of the situation, the crisis management team scheduled its next meeting for Friday at 11:00 a.m.