How do dams change the movement of silt in the Danube River?

The damming of the Danube River has significantly altered the natural transport and deposition of sediments. When water is impounded by reservoirs, it loses its silt load, causing the sediment to settle within the reservoir rather than continuing downstream.1

As a result, the water that flows out of a dam is relatively silt-free. This sediment-depleted water possesses a higher capacity to erode, which leads to increased erosion of the riverbanks in areas located farther downstream.1