Töss
Töss
Site description
The Töss is a 56 km long river flowing in the north east of Switzerland. The river originates in the north east of the Swiss Alps, and forms the Töss valley. As well as the Thur river (flagship restoration measure), it is a tributary of the Rhine river which originates in the Swiss Alps and ends in the North Sea. The Töss is a pre-alpine river, without natural or artificial reservoirs along its course. The morphological conditions have been highly modified along its 56 km course. It contains numerous artificial weirs and embankments, constructed in the early 20th to protect cities against floods and provide more land for agriculture. Only the lower part of the river section, close to the connection with the Rhine River, is in good conditions, with almost natural morphology and pristine pool/riffle structure. To date, restoration efforts are made to restore, locally, a natural morphology within the river. The aim is to increase natural habitats, without to reduce water pumping efficiency for local citizens.
Measures selection
Success criteria
Ecological response
Hydromorphological response
Monitoring before and after implementation of the project
Socio-economic aspects
Contact person within the organization
Extra background information
References
Related Measures
- Establish environmental flows / naturalise flow regimes
- Facilitate downstream migration
- Remove barrier
- Widen water courses
- Allow/increase lateral channel migration or river mobility
- Remeander water courses
- Initiate natural channel dynamics to promote natural regeneration
- Remove sediments
- Remove bank fixation
- Remove or modify in-channel hydraulic structures
- Lower river banks or floodplains to enlarge inundation and flooding
- Remove hard engineering structures that impede lateral connectivity
- Construct semi-natural/articificial wetlands or aquatic habitats
- Set back embankments, levees or dikes
