LIFE+ Traisen - Austria's largest renaturation project has transformed the lower reaches of the Traisen near the Danube power plant in Altenwörth into a diverse riparian landscape. Between 2009 and 2019, a near-natural river course with diverse riparian areas was completely recreated. Many animal and plant species have already colonized it and numerous endangered animal and plant species have also found a new home here. The river landscape will now continue to develop undisturbed in a natural way.
The Traisen is one of the largest rivers in Lower Austria. During the construction of the Danube power plant Altenwörth from 1973 to 1976, the Traisen was extended by 7.5 km and today flows downstream of the power plant. The riverbed ran in a straight line and uniformly through the floodplain between Traismauer and Zwentendorf. Thanks to the LIFE+ Traisen project, the straightened course has been broken up. The mouth of the Traisen into the Danube was completely recreated.
The LIFE+ project implemented measures in the area between the Danube and the former Traisen Canal, creating a completely new Traisen river with surrounding riparian zones and a large estuary zone on the Danube. The water of the Traisen was diverted into this new riverbed around the Altenwörth power station. The old channel remained in place to provide relief during major floods and as still water. The project created the NEW lower course of the Traisen, which is not a revitalization of an old section of the river, but a new creation of dynamic river and floodplain habitat.
VERBUND took on the project management and the majority of the costs. The EU supported the project to a large extent with funding from the EU LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity Fund.
Other funding partners: Office of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism, Lower Austrian Landscape Fund, Lower Austrian Provincial Fisheries Association, viadonau and with the support of the Augustinian Monastery of Herzogenburg and the Grafenegg Forestry Administration. The companies Energie AG, KELAG and VKW, which are entitled to purchase electricity from the Altenwörth power plant, are also involved.
LIFE+ is an EU funding program to support nature conservation projects in Natura 2000 areas. The Natura 2000 network of protected areas is intended to help preserve the diversity of wild animal and plant species and habitats throughout Europe. The LIFE+ project Traisen contributes significantly to the improvement of the Natura 2000 area.
