By creating and maintaining hydro-ecological structures, such as gravel riverbanks and islands, reconnections of side arms and backwaters, ponds and puddles, the ecological functionality of habitats along the Danube, March and Thaya is being improved. Some of these measures follow already concluded renaturation projects.

The overall aim of this ongoing activity is to implement small-scale ecological projects and to maintain existing structures of the riverbank and water protection. 

Partners

  •  
  • fishery
  • municipalities
  • Verbund Hydro Power AG

Milestones

  • official submission of approx. two measures per year
  • implementation of approx. one measure per year (depending on budget availability)
  • maintenance and development of small-scale riverbank and biotope structures (continuously)

News and activity status

In autumn 2017, the gravel riverbanks in the areas of Wesenufer and Steyregg were established and the side arm Oberloiben reconnected. The documentation for the legal permits for the gravel bank Landshaag was elaborated in 2017 and submitted for approval by the responsible authorities. 

Making the gravel bank at Steyregg
Establishment of the gravel riverbank Steyregg - riverbank before, photo: © viadonau
Making the gravel bank at Steyregg, implementation of the structure
Establishment of the gravel riverbank Steyregg - implementation of the structure, photo: © viadonau


In the spring of 2018, the focus was on the continuation of the gravel fills Aschacher Haufen, Wilhering and Steinmetzplatzl with material from the bank reclamation (riverbank renaturation) of the Innbach estuary of Verbund Hydro Power AG. A total of around 58,400 m³ of gravel was laid and modelled into flat gravel banks.        
The application planning for the Landshaag gravel bank was completed in 2017; the official approval for the measure was obtained in the summer of 2018. The implementation is planned for autumn 2019 together with maintenance work on the biotopes Binderwirtsau, Ortmann and Zeller Spitz.

Dredging vessel rebuilding the river side
Extension of the Aschacher Haufen, photo: © viadonau
Dredging vessel rebuilding the river side
Extension Steinmetzplatzl Linz-Urfahr, photo: © viadonau

The removal of sedimenation in the oxbow "Schildorfer Altarm", which was planned for November 2021, was rescheduled to 2021 due to low water conditions of the Danube.

In 2021 maintenance and repair of the banks of the river "Schwallenbach", situated in the Wachau and rehabilitation of the silted oxbow beneath were focused.

verlandeter_Hinterrinner_wachau.jpg
silted oxbow in the Wachau (c) viadonau

In the area of the estuary of the Saagbach (municipality of Engelhartszell), stones are delivered to restructure the banks. For the maintenance of the Binderwirtsau biotope, approx. 1580 m³ of fine sediment were removed in March 2022. A submission project is being prepared for the reconnection of the "Hecht" oxbow lake (Jochenstein reservoir).



The activity makes a substantial contribution to the implementation of measure 
17. Execute restoration measures implementing the EU Water Framework Directive of the Action Programme for the Danube 2022.