Analysis of siltation and sedimenation processes in the urban water channel "Lendkanal"

Climate change and biodiversity loss underscore the urgent need to preserve and enhance the resilience of aquatic habitats across spatial and administrative scales. The Lendkanal in Klagenfurt is of particular importance in this context, as it serves simultaneously as a habitat, natural area, recreational space, and economic asset. Embedded within an urban environment, the canal is highly valued by the local population and contributes to mitigating summer urban heat-island effects. In recent years, however, progressive sedimentation has increasingly impaired the canal and its ecosystem services, creating substantial management challenges. Without targeted restoration measures, continued silting could severely degrade—or ultimately eliminate—the watercourse within the coming years. This project aims to establish a scientific basis for the sustainable restoration and long-term conservation of the Lendkanal. Field measurements will be used to quantify sediment thickness and analyse sediment composition. Based on these findings, potential management and restoration strategies will be developed to preserve the canal as an attractive urban water body, an ecologically valuable habitat, and a resilient component of Klagenfurt’s urban landscape.