A year after the flood disaster: St. Pölten starts the reconstruction!

A year after the flood disaster: St. Pölten starts the reconstruction!

A year after the devastating flood disaster in St. Pölten, which took place in September 2024, the efforts to rebuild and improve flood protection are in full swing. On September 15, 2024, the city had proclaimed the disaster due to the massive amounts of rain, which led to a break in the traiser comb and overflowing retention basin. Many districts were under water, which made numerous evacuations necessary. Around 2,500 damage cases have been registered in the city, with the total damage for private buildings, companies as well as agricultural and forestry industries around 64.3 million euros. Over 10 percent of these damage is due to all of Lower Austria, while damage to the flood protection systems in the conservation area of ​​the Traisen Water Association are estimated at two million euros, of which 500,000 euros in St. Pölten alone reports that …] (Https://www.5min.at/5202506111432/ein Jahr-nach-hochwasser-st-poelten-baut-wieder-auf/).

The reconstruction of the infrastructure continues to run. The Traisental cycle path, which runs on the western bank of the river, was particularly affected. On June 10, 2025, this cycle path was officially released again. However, some sections, especially at Herzogenburg, still have to be paved. The cycle path, which extends from Türnitz to Traismauer, experienced a decline in use in the flood time, but there are positive signs: in 2024, 260,000 cycling trips near the government district were nevertheless recorded, which means an easy plus compared to previous years. In flood-free times there was even an increase of 13 percent in cycling [noen.at (…] (https://www.noen.at/st-poelten/hochwasser-schaeden-traized-istal-istwieder- through

renovation and protective measures

In the course of the restoration measures, several construction sites are still active. The city has launched a task force for structural flood protection that is currently working on 20 different projects. This includes the repair of the pedestrian walkway via the factorybach as well as ongoing renovation work on agricultural paths and smaller waters. The traise water association will also be remedied by the traise water association until the end of the year. The GoAssteig (L113) remains closed between the cattle bean and Oberradlberg due to slope slips, with a completion of the renovation, which is planned by the end of 2025 [5min.at reports that…] (https://www.5min.at/520250611432/ein-jahr- after-Hochwasser-st-poelten-wieder-auf/).

In order to better meet future flood events, a special disaster protection plan for the factory streams and the traises is created, based on existing operating regulations and experiences from the flood disaster. These measures are part of a comprehensive flood risk management. Such management is crucial to minimize the damage caused by floods, because complete protection is technically and economically not possible. The essential aspects include precautionary measures, flood predictions, warning systems and the creation of risk management plans [Environmental Bundesamt.de describes that…] (https://www.umweltbundamt.de/themen/wasser/hoch-liedrigwasser/hochwasser risk management).

The experiences from the flood disaster of 2024 have caused the city and the organizations involved to further develop their security concepts and protection plans. Only through the close cooperation between water management, nature conservation, disaster protection and other affected actors can the necessary measures be implemented effectively and future risks are minimized.