Flood program

State reduces plan for protective structures in the Achental valley

The Krimml Achental valley(Bild: Uwe Grinzinger)

The province has now presented a detailed flood protection program for the Oberpinzgau: The original plans have been scaled down. There is still resistance in the Krimml Achental valley. Provincial Councillor Josef Schwaiger hopes that the new protective structures will be implemented quickly.

The figures speak for themselves: twenty years ago, experts were still assuming a flow rate of 360 cubic meters of water per second when calculating a 100-year flood. The new mark is 500 cubic meters or more. 

In order to protect the Oberpinzgau region from flooding in the long term, additional space must be created for the masses of water. The construction of new dams and flood basins in the Tauern valleys has been the subject of intense debate for years. In the Krimml Achental valley, resistance from landowners has formed. The province also involved experts from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich in the planning process. 

Provincial councillor Josef Schwaiger (ÖVP) has now presented a slimmed-down concept. The original plan was to dam up an additional 7.5 million cubic meters of water in seven Tauern valleys and the Salzach valley. This is now to be realized in a scaled-down form. The Hintersee project in the Felbertal valley in Mittersill, where the dam wall is to be raised, has already been submitted. 

Crucial point Krimmler Achental
In Krimml, the skepticism of affected landowners is great. Conservationists have also vetoed the project. The state does not want to abandon its plans to create a new "flood basin" above the waterfalls. However, the capacity is to be reduced from the original 1.9 million to 1.4 million cubic meters. "There is no alternative there," says Schwaiger. A reservoir in the valley (Holztratten area) should be rejected for geological reasons.

The paths in the Achental valley are not designed for the construction site and the removal of debris. They would have to be massively expanded.

Friedl Geisler, Tauernhaus-Wirt

The landowners remain combative. "For us, the examination of alternatives outside the protection zone has not yet been completed," says Tauernhaus landlord Friedl Geisler. He and his fellow campaigners are particularly skeptical about the removal of debris and large-grained sand, which would accumulate there in the event of flooding. 

Protective measures are planned here.(Bild: Land Salzburg)

In addition to Hintersee and Achtental, measures are also being taken in the Habachtal valley, in the Hollersbach area and at a second location on the Salzach. 

Schwaiger is hoping for rapid implementation in order to provide maximum protection for the Oberpinzgau region against the next extreme rainfall events. Further projects are to be submitted in 2025.