EU LIFE Iris Project Launches to Renaturate Pielach River in Austria
The EU LIFE project 'EU LIFE Iris' has launched to renaturate the Pielach river in Austria. The project, with a €4.2 million budget, aims to prevent future flooding, improve fish migration, and benefit local wildlife. It follows the devastating floods in 2023 that caused over €1 billion in damages along several rivers in Lower Austria.
The project, covering a 5.6-kilometer stretch of the Pielach and a 52-hectare corridor, is funded by the EU, federal government, and state of Lower Austria. It involves coordinating with landowners and aims to give the river more space, creating flood relief, ecological benefits, and recreational areas. Mayor Rainer Handlfinger of Ober-Grafendorf sees it as a step towards the future, benefiting both people and nature.
Extensive river restoration projects are underway to prevent future flooding in the Pielach Valley. Targeted river widening will reconnect the Pielach with natural floodplains, improving fish migration. The project aims to benefit local natural treasures such as kingfishers and huchen (Danube salmon).
The EU LIFE Iris project, with the Pielach Water Association as the main sponsor, is expected to bring significant benefits to the Pielach Valley. It comes at a critical time, following the severe flooding in 2023 and the recent state of emergency declared in the district of St. Pölten due to flooding in the Pielach Valley. The project is set to improve flood management, enhance biodiversity, and create recreational spaces along the Pielach river.
