Water ecology goes hand in hand with flood protection at the Danube and Traun in Upper Austria

“Many departments – one plan: The River Development and Risk Management Concept for the Danube and Traun in Upper Austria is on the table”

Environment and Climate Provincial Councilor Stefan Kaineder – Upper Austrian Provincial Government

The EU-funded Austria-wide project LIFE IP IRIS Austria supports integrative planning approaches as a new way for the ecological remediation of our rivers while improving flood protection at the same time.

For this purpose, the planning instrument “River Development and Risk Management Concept” – “Gewässerentwicklungs- und Risikomanagementkonzept”, in the following referred to as GE-RM – was developed.

The Danube and the lower Traun in Upper Austria are pilot regions for this new planning instrument in Austria. A comprehensive interdisciplinary action plan was drawn up, which equally takes into account the requirements of flood protection and the ecological development of the watercourses.

At the end of March, the concept of measures was presented at three events in Mauthausen, Eferding and Linz. The lively attendance of representatives from the region, the presence of political representatives and the intensive discussions show that the integrative planning approach is of great interest and that the development of the river landscape is important to the people.

As soon as the two pilot projects, namely a new side arm in the Marktau of the Danube near Ottensheim-Wilhering and a widening in the lower reaches of the Traun, are implemented in the coming years, the double benefit of the GE-RM projects will become apparent. It benefits both ecological water development and flood safety.

On behalf of the state of Upper Austria and viadonau, RIOCOM processes the GE-RM Donau and Untere Traun in cooperation with ezb.

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