Project news
We have the latest news on the project "LIFE Network Danube Plus". Events, milestones and the latest news from the land restoration between the power plants at Altenwörth and Greifenstein on the Danube.
"Vitale Gemeinde Zwentendorf" pays a visit
The initiative "Vitale Gemeinde Zwentendorf" made use of the glorious August weather to visit the neighbouring fish pass at the VERBUND Danube power plant in Altenwörth. Under the expert guidance of Martin Mühlbauer, a water engineer and fish ecologist, about 50 residents viewed the impressive riverscape. The 12.5 kilometre-long accompanying watercourse already forms its own river and offers more than just safe passage for fish parallel to the Danube.
Martin Mühlbauer, a water engineer and fish ecologist, explained the concept behind constructing the riverscape with diverse shallows, deeper sections, meanders, dead wood structures and other formations. The fish pass is supplemented with ecological measures in the old course, which is an extremely popular area, especially in summer.
Martin Mühlbauer, a water engineer and fish ecologist, explained the concept behind constructing the riverscape with diverse shallows, deeper sections, meanders, dead wood structures and other formations. The fish pass is supplemented with ecological measures in the old course, which is an extremely popular area, especially in summer.
July 2021: Cycle path re-opened
The main construction work on the Altenwörth fish pass is now largely completed. VERBUND project leader Hannes Einfalt together with mayor Marion Török (Zwentendorf) and mayor Wolfgang Benedikt (Kirchberg a. Wagram) were thus able to open the new bridge over the old course to traffic.
To the press release Spring on the construction site of the Altenwörth fish pass
Construction site visit in Altenwörth
Right on time for the first partial flooding of the Altenwörth fish pass, the managing directors of VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH, Karl Heinz Gruber and Michael Amerer, were impressed by the project’s progress. Project leader Hannes Einfalt guided the visitors over the still dry parts of Lower Austria’s longest fish pass.
To the press release Winter construction site in Altenwörth (January 2021)
Altenwörth fish bypass in fall 2020
Summer construction site tour
Local residents from Grafenwörth and Altenwörth took up with great interest the invitation in August to tour the fish pass being built. In magnificent bathing weather, the project management led the visitors to the normally inaccessible parts of the large construction site. Questions and concerns could be raised on the spot in direct contact with the tour guides. The enormous dimensions of the new channel and the masses of moved gravel and sediment made it easier for the project’s neighbours to understand the need for road closures.
Construction work on the Altenwörth fish bypass
Start of construction on the Altenwörth fish pass
The planned fish pass will be Lower Austria’s longest fish pass at more than 12.5 km in length. It connects land restoration projects on the Danube and its tributaries, thereby boosting the diversity of species in the Danube. In total, the work will involve the movement of 575,000 cubic metres of gravel and fine sediment.
In addition to the fish pass, VEBUND is improving the bathing quality of the old course of the Danube at Altenwörth in cooperation with the market municipality of Kirchberg am Wagram.
Zu Presseaussendung In addition to the fish pass, VEBUND is improving the bathing quality of the old course of the Danube at Altenwörth in cooperation with the market municipality of Kirchberg am Wagram.
Initial residents’ information on the Altenwörth fish bypass
At a citizens’ event in the municipality of Kirchberg am Wagram on 4 October 2018, VERBUND officially presented the fish bypass and old course project to interested local residents for the first time. “It was important to us to personally inform our neighbours about the project at first hand,” says project manager Hannes Einfalt.