Viennese water supply: New hope for the lower Lobau!

Viennese water supply: New hope for the lower Lobau!

Wien, Österreich - The Lobau in Vienna faces a special challenge. In order to counteract the impending drying and silting processes, the municipal council committee has decided to develop a new groundwater flow model for the lower Lobau. This model is intended to serve as the basis for future measures and help to preserve the valuable nature in this popular recreation area. According to a communication of My district since last year, additional water has been flowing from the new Danube to Obere Lobau.

But what does that mean specifically? Up to 1,500 liters of water per second can be forwarded. The climate city council Jürgen Czernohorszky emphasizes how important the protection of drinking water supply is in this context. Because a project from 2015 already showed that all tested doped variants were a risk of water supply. However, the hydrological and hydrogeological conditions have changed since then and the new model stands for this.

financing and support

270,000 euros were scheduled for the groundwater flow model for 2025/2026. These investments were decided in the municipal council committee for the climate, the environment, democracy and staff. It remains to be seen how the model can optimize the water balance of the lower Lobau and whether a continued possible forwarding of dopping water can be realized without risk for drinking water supply.

The National Park Donauauen, in which the Lobau is located, not only experiences these changes. As the organization Viadonau , several measures to stabilize the water levels and to improve the habitat have already been taken in the floodplain. For example, an extended layer management is carried out to stop the deepening of the Danube sole, which has fallen half a meter since 1985.

long -term solutions

In addition, the connection of secondary arms is being used to the main stream, which not only benefits the flow dynamics, but also improves the habitat for the flora and fauna in Lobau. Positive young fishing on newly created natural banks already show the first successes of these measures. The exchange between the Donau-Auen National Park, Viadonau and the Supreme Water Rights Authority is continuously maintained in order to promote the continuous water connections.

With projects such as the "Dynamic Life Lines Danube", which runs by June 2026, another contribution to sustainable river design is made. The completion of certain connection measures, such as that of the Spittelau arm, took place in autumn 2020.

The developments in Lobau are not only important for nature. It is also important for the Viennese who use this beautiful recreation room that a balance between nature conservation and drinking water supply is found. The coming years will show how the measures will work in the form of the groundwater flow model and other projects.