Identification and designation of ecologically valuable river sections in Lower Austria
Abstract
As required by the Austrian River Basin Management Plan, criteria for the assessment of hydropower projects or of river sections with regard to the usability of hydropower need to be developed. Criteria shall take into account aspects regarding energy use and efficiency, ecology and water management in general. Against this background the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management released the “Austrian Hydro Power Sustainability Criteria Catalogue” in the year 2012. As a guidance document, this catalogue provides, inter alia ecological criteria and indicators for the assessment of ecologically valuable and sensitive river stretches. These criteria will be analysed and complemented by additional investigations. Based on the results the project aims at identifying and illustrating water stretches of particular ecological importance and value for protection (> 10 km² catchment) in Lower Austria. Furthermore, an assessment of the restoration potential of the investigated rivers will be conducted. The outcomes provide a professional foundation and will serve as an overall planning tool for the designation and implementation of priority areas of protection.
keywords ecological system research interdisciplinary natural science Nature conservation (- research) conservation programs river protection
Publikationen
Wertvolle Gewässerstrecken in Niederösterreich: Interdisziplinäre, indikatorbezogene Bewertung von Fließgewässerstrecken. Teilbericht Gewässerökologie
Autoren: Muhar, S; Scheikl, S; Loach, A Jahr: 2015
Forschungsbericht (extern. Auftraggeber)
Project staff
Susanne Muhar
Ao.Univ.Prof.i.R. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Susanne Muhar
susanne.muhar@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81210
Project Leader
01.12.2013 - 30.11.2014
Sigrid Scheikl
Dipl.-Ing. Sigrid Scheikl
Tel: +43 1 47654-81205
Project Staff
01.12.2013 - 30.11.2014