Flood protection offensive: 800,000 Austrians protected!

Flood protection offensive: 800,000 Austrians protected!

On May 23, 2025, a comprehensive action program for improving flood protection was presented in Austria, which is of crucial importance for the safety of around 800,000 people in risk areas. Around 100 million euros flow into flood protection annually, and over 2.2 billion euros have been invested since 2002 to implement around 600 protective projects. Comfort, who is responsible for the project, emphasizes that all relevant initiatives can also be implemented with the existing means. This is done as part of the ten-point "Future Flood Protection 2024" campaign program, which is based on the lessons of past flood disasters and provides for measures to evaluate existing protection systems and the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure. Exemplary renovation measures are carried out at the Leitha in Lower Austria.

A central goal of the action program is to promote new buildings and space security initiatives to make room for water. In this context, property owners are compensated if their areas are required for security measures. In addition, lighthouse projects such as the flood protection project on the Alpenrhein "Rhesi" are to be accelerated. In addition to the financial measures, research and digital early warning systems have also been invested, with platforms such as "Hora" play an important role.

preventive measures and education

To prepare for flood events, regular exercises for operational organizations and the population are intended. In addition, a new campaign entitled "Flood - I protect myself!" launched. The aim of this campaign is to activate the personal responsibility of the citizens. Information material with safety tips is distributed to municipalities and schools. Citizens receive recommendations, such as the installation of backflow flaps, the purchase of sandbags and the storage of valuables outside the basement as well as the preparation of sufficient supplies of drinking water and food. The security figure "Helmi" from the KFV is also used to support schools.

The need for such active flood protection is underlined by the extreme weather events of recent years. The events of July 2021 have illustrated the effects of climate change. Technical flood protection alone cannot offer absolute security, which is why comprehensive flood risk management is considered centrally. The federal government also promotes this and has launched two important programs: an immediate program for climate adjustment with 60 million euros and a new climate adaptation strategy that focuses on avoiding greenhouse gases and adaptation to the consequences of climate change.

strategic adjustments to climate change

The German climate adaptation strategy 2024, which was decided in December 2024, pursues the goal of improving resistance to the consequences of the climate crisis. A total of 33 measurable destinations are set by 2030. These include the strengthening of the resilience of water infrastructures and the improvement of soil health. There is also an important focus on the restoration of natural flooding areas and the renaturation of wetlands in order to promote the ability to store water. The experience gained should also further develop and promote the flood protection offerings.

The Federal Room Ordinary Plan flood protection regulates the water management and flood risk management and also provides stricter requirements for preventing soil compression and flooding. This makes it clear that both the countries and municipalities are financially strengthened in order to support effective measures to seal ground deflection and rainwater failure.

Further information on the individual programs can be found in the reports from 5min.at, the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of the Environment: 5min.at , bundes-regierung.de , bmuv.de .