CNR ISPC Institute of Heritage Science

Europe’s hydraulic heritage has evolved over millennia through the continuous interaction between river ecosystems and human activities. Rivers, canals, and wetlands are not untouched “natural” spaces, but dynamic environments shaped by centuries of water management systems—among which watermills stand as one of the most widespread and enduring elements. These structures have historically supported food production, artisanal work (grinding, fulling, forging, sawing), energy generation, and territorial development. Watermills can also contribute to maintaining well-functioning the existing water canals and hydraulic infrastructures where they are located. Recently, they are also perceived as structures where to generate renewable energy through micro-hydropower (Quaranta et al., 2022). On the other hand, barriers in freshwater systems can also disrupt river continuity and fish migration, and water mills have altered the water landscape in the last centuries (Raeymaekers et al., 2009; Lander et al., 2016; Dodd et al., 2018). Hence, the removal of obsolete barriers is another activity that is going on in this context, aligned with environmental policies such as the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) and the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. Therefore, managing watermill landscapes involves navigating complex interactions between environmental, land-use, and heritage policies, with often conflictual targets, interests and complexities. The Derwent Valley in the UK, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an example in this context. While pilot projects have explored the potential of micro-hydropower and community governance, regulatory fragmentation may hinder these initiatives (Jackson, 2024; Lees & Eyre, 2021; Potts, 2021). Many other mills exist in a bureaucratic limbo: too culturally significant for removal yet deemed ecologically problematic under rigid conservation frameworks. They have been often perceived as isolated buildings within a broader landscape rather than as integral elements of watermill landscapes, where complex socio-ecological systems where hydrology, infrastructure, and human activity have co-evolved over centuries. Their abandonment—accelerated by political and economic shifts over the past two centuries—has led to rural decline, loss of traditional knowledge, and weakened local resilience linked to watercourse management. Conversely, when reactivated through sustainable and participatory models, mills have delivered concrete benefits: ecological regeneration, cultural tourism, artisan revival, and small-scale renewable energy (Grano, 2025; Quaranta et al., 2023). In this study we will analyse how their sustainable management in the landscape can facilitate adaptive, low-impact co-management strategies and rural sustainability. Bridging environmental history, fluvial geomorphology, engineering, heritage studies, civic engagement, and policy is crucial for addressing today’s interconnected challenges, such as hydro-geological risk, biodiversity loss, rural marginalization, and the energy and climate transition. Recognizing watermills as dynamic, multifunctional infrastructures rather than static heritage sites is essential for unlocking their full potential in sustainable landscape management, while also respecting environmental targets.