Struggles Over Rapids – Hydrosocial Territories in the Turns of Riverine Policy

Abstract

This study examines two major turning points in Finnish riverine policy through the lens of contested hydrosocial territories, focusing on two rapid areas in eastern Finland. Following the Second World War, Finland saw a surge in hydropower development. The first turning point began in the late 1950s with local ”rapids wars” and culminated in the Rapids Protection Act of 1987. One of the key moments was the successful struggle to prevent hydropower construction in the Ruunaa rapids. The second turning point emerged around the turn of the millennium, influenced by the European Union’s water policy. During the 2010s, the Finnish state initiated a new riverine agenda, funding stream restoration and the removal of migration barriers. This shift is exemplified by the ongoing struggle over the Palokki power plant, where the energy company is confronted by advocates for restoring the rapids. We analyse Ruunaa and Palokki as hydrosocial territories – spaces shaped by interactions between human and non-human actors. The study explores how conflicts over free-flowing rapids and regulated streams have reshaped riverine policy and environments, and how the nature of these struggles has evolved over the past fifty years.