Kemijoki residents report growing problems from frequent hydroelectric regulation

Residents along Finland’s longest river, the Kemijoki, say increasingly frequent water flow adjustments by hydroelectric plants are causing erosion, disrupting winter ice roads, and harming fishing, Yle reports.

The rapid changes in water levels—driven by electricity demand—are wearing down riverbanks, preventing the formation of stable winter ice routes, and complicating traditional activities like fishing, according to locals. Many claim that Kemijoki Oy, the hydroelectric company, is failing to comply with permit conditions designed to mitigate these impacts.

In Juujärvi village, between the Seitakorva and Pirttikoski power plants, resident Tomi Juujärvi says his once-swimmable shoreline is now lined with protective rocks due to erosion. “The banks keep eroding even with reinforcement. The fluctuations hurt fish stocks, destroy waterfowl nests, and suddenly the current can carry off nets and boats,” he explains. This winter, despite record cold in January, two of three mandatory ice roads in the area remained unbuilt—a violation of the power plant’s operational permit, which requires safe winter access as compensation for local disruptions.

Juujärvi calls for stricter adherence to the EU Water Framework Directive, which mandates “good ecological status” for waterways. Lapland’s Centre for Economic Development classified the Kemijoki as merely “moderate” in 2022. “We bear the brunt of the river’s pollutants, like mercury, with no recourse,” he adds.

Lost gear and shifting currents

Further downstream in Kitinen, a Kemijoki tributary, longtime resident Jorma Kaaretkoski describes similar challenges. Winter use of the river has declined as unpredictable flows prevent reliable ice formation, while summer fishing is hampered by sudden surges. In one case, missing fish traps were initially suspected stolen—until they resurfaced 5 km downstream, carried by an unannounced release of water. “Sometimes the level rises 40 cm in minutes, swamping boats,” Kaaretkoski notes, though he acknowledges Kemijoki Oy has improved responsiveness to complaints.

Calls for regulatory action

Reijo Saari, a 30-year resident of Rovaniemi’s Rautiosaari and chair of the local fishing district, argues the river’s ecological balance has deteriorated. “Winter travel is now dangerous, and summer recreation is disrupted,” he says. Saari urges licensing authorities to intervene, citing progress on the Oulujoki river, where municipalities successfully pushed to reduce short-term flow adjustments. “We need regulation, but the current system prioritizes the power company over all other users.”