How our communities are preparing against floods: a look behind the scenes

How our communities are preparing against floods: a look behind the scenes

The increasing storms and the associated flood events are challenges with which the municipalities in the Mattersburg district are confronted. Extreme weather conditions have become more common, especially in recent years, which results in a direct need for action by the local administrations. Flood is a central topic that affects not only the infrastructure, but also the safety of the residents.

in Baumgarten, for example, the municipality was confronted with an exceptionally heavy rain in June. Mayor Kurt Fischer described this event as a "100-year flood", something that has never been observed in the region before. The sludge content that flocked through a stream into the village left significant traces. Fischer emphasized that the community has been working closely with the state of Burgenland since then to take future security measures. The first offers are already available and a civil engineer has been commissioned to analyze the water drains.

safe retention for storm water

A positive example of successful flood protection measures can be found in Sigleß. A retention basin was built here in 2022, which showed its function in the recent precipitation in September. Mayor Ulrike Kitzinger reported that the water builds up through the meadows and the pelvis contributes to preventing flooding. Nevertheless, in some places she still sees need for improvement and plans to initiate further measures to improve security at the next municipal council meeting.

The city of Mattersburg has also taken big steps towards more protection. Mayor Claudia Schlager indicates the success of the newly built retention basin, which was inaugurated last week. She praised the effectiveness of this measure during the severe rains two weeks ago, in which the employees of the building yard only had to remove a few storm damage. However, the focus is on continuously ensuring the security of the population and recognizing new risks in order to be better prepared for future events.

The ratification of such measures is of central importance, especially in view of the importance of flood protection in the face of climate change. The repeated heavy rain events require a quick actions of all affected communities to ensure that necessary protection structures are available. Details on the concrete measures and the progress of the municipalities in Mattersburg can be found on the Mein district's platform. Here you can find a comprehensive overview of these important security investments.