EGU22-13254
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-13254
EGU General Assembly 2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Dam Removal in Austria – Current status, lessons learned from implementation, and potential contribution of the measure in climate change adaptation

Sarah Höfler1,2, Irene Pilz1, and Clemens Gumpinger1
Sarah Höfler et al.
  • 1blattfisch e.U., Wels, Austria (hoefler@blattfisch.at)
  • 2University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria

Dam removals are currently experiencing a hype as a measure to restore water bodies to a more natural and thus more resilient state. Following the implementation of major projects in North America and some EU countries in particular, an inventory regarding planned and implemented projects has been carried out in Austria for the first time. A total of 53 cross barriers are known to have been removed to date. The characteristics and also problems in the definition of these projects will be presented.

The second part will deal with the challenges in the practical implementation of such measures. Case studies on the Maltsch and the Aschach show which resistances of the local population, hydraulic considerations and practical implementation risks are to be expected.

Finally, the significance of such measures will be evaluated in the overall consideration of river restoration measures and solutions in terms of climate change adaptation.

How to cite: Höfler, S., Pilz, I., and Gumpinger, C.: Dam Removal in Austria – Current status, lessons learned from implementation, and potential contribution of the measure in climate change adaptation, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-13254, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-13254, 2022.