Boat tour to the Integrated River Engineering Project at the Danube East of Vienna

The “Catalogue of Measures for the Danube east of Vienna” covers a multitude of innovative river engineering measures designed to stabilize the decrease in water levels, preserve the unique habitats of the Danube floodplains and create a waterway infrastructure that fulfills the requirements of safe and economic navigation. In order to achieve these goals, viadonau continually carries out maintenance and conservation activities and implements river engineering optimisation projects. The “Catalogue of Measures” is the result of an integrative planning process and is based on the findings of the multi-year concept- and pilot project phase of the ‘Integrated River Project on the Danube East of Vienna’ (FGP). Besides involving various different stakeholders, the scientifically monitoring and accompaniment of measures plays an important role in finding and achieving socially and environmentally compatible solutions.

This tour will start at the piers near the Reichsbrücke nearby the conference venue where we will board our ship. This Danube cruise will lead us downstream of Vienna directly through the National Park “Donau-Auen” where we will examine the efforts of the “Catalogue of Measures for the Danube east of Vienna” such as groyne adaptations, reconnection of side-arms, restoration of river banks, etc.). For the way back upstream, buses are ready to take us back to from Hainburg to Vienna.

“Donau Auen” National Park

This bus tour will guide you directly to the heart of the famous National Park “Donau Auen”. During a scientifically guided tour through the National Park Visitor Centre in the picturesque castle Schloss Orth the unique features of the National Park and its fascinating history will be explained. On a nature trail outside of the castle, we will have the opportunity to see indigenous plants and animals. Further, we will take a walk inside the National Park directly to the river banks of the Danube. Here, we will see some of the measures taken to improve ecological functions and sediment transport issues (e.g. restoration of river banks, reconnection of side-arms, adaptation of groynes, etc.).

Hydropower plant Freudenau

We will make a short bus ride to the hydropower plant Freudenau which is situated at the Danube River in the east of Vienna. A guided tour will offer us a look behind the scenes of modern electricity generation. We will have the chance to see the turbines, the lock and the fish bypass-channel. Moreover, information about the history of hydropower generation at the Danube will be given.