View source for Donau - Aggsbach (LIFE03 NAT/A/000009)

=Donau - Aggsbach (LIFE03 NAT/A/000009)=

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==General description==

The Wachau valley is one of the two places in Austria where the Donau can flow freely. The landscape is a mix of fluvial nature, arid grasslands, grassy slopes, wine terraces and fruit orchards. In 2000 the Wachau valley was granted UNESCO World Heritage status and is part of the Natura2000 network. The project LIFE Nature Wachau was implemented to further improve the Wachau valley by structuring the main channel with gravel banks, linking old Danube tributaries back to the main river, management of dry grasslands and grassy slopes, improvement of semi-natural forests and the creation of a nature protection coordination body for the Wachau valley. Location Aggsbach is located close to Aggsbach Dorf. 


==Pressures and Drivers==

Regulation of the Danube for 100 years has created embankments to protect the villages and agricultural lands in the floodplain. The combination of power stations, river bed erosion and migration obstacles have accelerated the siltation of the tributaries of Aggsbach, cutting off the tributary from the Danube which created dead traps for fish. This had a devastating effect on the population of Common Nase (Chondrostoma nasus) from over 100,000 several decades ago to 3000-7000 in 2002.


==Global objectives==

The global objective was to link the old tributary to the Danube to create refuge habitat for riverine species.

==Specific Objectives==

No specific objectives could be found in the available documents

==Success Criteria==

No success criteria could be found in the available documents


==Site description==


==Measures selection==

In the Aggsbach, 80,000 m3 of fine material was removed to reconnect the silted up tributary with the Donau. The material was used to create a fled embankment atop of the old rubble. At the inflow, a bridge had to be built to ensure the passability of the Donau cycle way. 


==Monitoring==

No pre- or post-restoration monitoring plans for this project could be found. Results in the Laymans report do show that fish, birds, amphibians and dragon flies were surveyed, but it is not clear if this was part of a large monitoring scheme planned in the program or regular monitoring at the site outside of the project.


==Expectations and Response==

It was expected that the new tributary would be a refuse for rare and endangered species. 

The results show that the tributary is a good spawning ground for fish, with 22 new fish species identified including Ide ((Leuciscus idus) and Pike (Esox lucius). 


==Cooperation==

The project leader of the Rührsdorf-Rossatz was Via Donau – Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft mbH. Other project partners were:

* Land government of lower Austria
* Lower Austrian Fishery Association
* Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Environment and Water Management
* Arbeitskreis Wachau: Regionalentwicklung
* HYDRO INGENIEURE Umwelttechnik GmbH
* Ezb Eberstaller Zauner Büros
* Freiwasser, Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Ökologie, Kulturtechnik und Wasserwirtschaft


==Communication==

Cooperation and approval of the landowners and farmers was important for the project. The project partners worked in collaboration with the market town of Schönbühel-Aggsbach, Walpersdorf estate management and the Austrian fisheries association to ensure everybody affected by the measures approved the project. 

After the project was completed, a documentary was made available for schools and communities for free. A touring exhibition with six large displays traveled across municipal offices and schools. A book, Wachau and its surroundings – habitats of a cultural landscape by Werner Gammerith in association with LIFE Wachau was published and made available in bookstores. Information boards were placed at prominent sites to inform visitors about the natural features. Folders and a regional newspaper ‘landschaften’ have been produced with information about LIFE and the LIFE Wachau project.


==Funding==

The total project costs were  € 5,255,000, 50% of which was financed by EU LIFE. The other half was divided between the project partners.

		
%EU Funding: 			50

%State: 				1.0 (The Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry,   
                                                                        Environment and Water Protection)

%Regional authority: 			17.5 (The State of Lower Austria)

%Local authority: 			

%Water authority:			24 (Via donau Österreichische Wasserstraßen
     					 Gesellschaft)

%other partners: 			6.5 (The Lower Austrian Fisheries Association)
			                        1.0 (Arbeitskreis Wachau)


==Contact==

Name: 			Dipl.-Ing. Bernhard Karl

Organization Name: 	Via donau

Phone-Number: 	+43 0 50 ext. 215 or 215	

Email: 			bernhard.karl@via-donau.org	


==References==

LIFE Nature Project Wachau: of dry grasslands and Danube Nase (2008), Arbeitskreis Wachau – Regional Development

==Website==

http://www.life-wachau.at/

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[[Category:Case_studies]]

== Related Measures ==

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== Related Pressures ==

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[[Category:Structure of the floodplain]] [[Category:Fish]]