Thur
Thur
Site description
The Thur is a 127 km long river flowing from the Swiss Alps in the north east of Switzerland. It is a tributary of the Rhine river which also originates in the Swiss Alps and ends in the North Sea. The Thur is the largest Swiss river without natural or artificial reservoirs along its course. Its discharge is similar to unregulated alpine rivers, the water level can therefore increase rapidly during rain events or snowmelt. For agricultural purposes and protection of residential areas, the Thur river was embanked in the late 19th century and its natural floodplain was drastically reduced. To date, important efforts are made to restore a natural morphology within the river. The aims are to increase natural protection against floods, and to increase natural processes and habitat diversity.
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
- Reduce anthropogenic flow peaks
- Shorten the length of impounded reaches
- Link flood reduction with ecological restoration
- Establish environmental flows / naturalise flow regimes
- Widen water courses
- Allow/increase lateral channel migration or river mobility
- Remeander water courses
- Shallow water courses
- Initiate natural channel dynamics to promote natural regeneration
- Remove sediments
- Remove bank fixation
- Remove or modify in-channel hydraulic structures
- Recreate gravel bar and riffles
- Develop riparian forest
- Adjust land use to develop riparian vegetation
- Revegetate riparian zones
- Remove bank fixation
- Lower river banks or floodplains to enlarge inundation and flooding
- Remove hard engineering structures that impede lateral connectivity
- Set back embankments, levees or dikes
- Retain floodwater
