Threatened by the flood: Liesingbach's renaturation and its successes

Threatened by the flood: Liesingbach's renaturation and its successes

In Vienna-Liesing, the renaturation of the Liesingbach has made an important step towards flood protection. During the recent heavy rainfall in September 2024, the surroundings around the Liesingbach were largely spared, a fact that is also thanks to the environmental measures carried out.

"There was not much missing", says a resident who lives near the allotment garden association on Steinsee. If it had rained a day longer, she would have been sure that the water would have reached her garden. Similar concerns were also in a nearby carpentry. "We have carefully observed the flood, but our wooden warehouse is in a different place. So the damage would not have been too big," said an employee.

effective measures for flood protection

Wolfgang Ermischer, SPÖ district council and member of the core team for renaturation, emphasizes that the now installed retention pools in the Liesingbach were decisive for the recent course of the latest flood events. This project has been running since 1997 and has already attributed various sections of the stream to a natural ecosystem. These renovation work should be completed by 2027.

The renaturation aims not only to restore the original state, but also to protect the people in the area. The old, hard regulatory methods were lifted to let the water flow more slowly and to minimize the risk of future floods. For example, the stream at the Liesinger Draschenpark, where floods used to take place regularly, was significantly changed.

natural balance and biodiversity

Despite the worrying flood images on social media, the Liesingbach currently seems to be peaceful again. Many animals have already settled in the renatured areas, including herons and beavers that further enrich the ecosystem. A beaver even built a dam, but was removed due to security concerns.

"The renaturation is now extremely popular among the population. Many people used the new, flat banks for sporting activities," reports Mreicher, as he points to the cyclists and walkers who visit the redesigned area of Liesing. The residents have also expressed a positive effect on the changes, since the dangers of floods were significantly reduced and at the same time the quality of life in the area increases.

For more information and details on the current state of the renaturation measures, please visit the article at www.wienerzeitung.at .