Abstract: Since several years near-nature water courses are installed at large hydropower stations in Germany and Switzerland. They serve as fishways and but as well as habitats, especially for rheophilic species. So far 4 of them are in use at the rivers Rhine and Aare. The largest of these bypassing water courses has a length of 1000 m, a width of 40-50 m and a discharge of 10-30 m³/s that means the dimensions of a river. These near-natural running waters are arranged with a natural river bed, including riffles and gravel banks. The function of these structures is to establish the habitat connectivity between the upstream and the downstream section of the power station but also to offer running water habitats for rheophilic species. The author is the chief executive of the engineering consultants responsible for design and construction of these river-courses.