Rhine regulation

Vorarlberg pays 274 million euros for “Rhesi”

So soll der Rhein nach der Realisierung von Rhesi aussehen.

(Bild: KAPO ZH FLUGBETRIEB, IRR/Hydra)

Vorarlberg will pay its share of the mega infrastructure project over 25 years. The costs on the Austrian side amount to over one billion euros, with the earliest possible start of construction being 2027. 

The state of Vorarlberg will contribute around 274 million euros to the "Rhesi" ("Rhine Recovery Safety") flood protection project over a period of 25 years. The Vorarlberg state government approved a corresponding 15a agreement with the federal government on Tuesday, as reported by the state press office on Wednesday. The federal and state governments had already agreed on a joint funding formula last year.

With "Rhesi", the discharge capacity of the Rhine from Feldkirch to the mouth of Lake Constance will be increased over a length of 26 kilometers to a flood that statistically occurs every 300 years. The earliest possible start of construction is 2027 and the project is expected to take 20 years to complete. The costs will be shared between Austria and Switzerland; according to current data, this will amount to around 1.1 billion euros on the Austrian side by 2052 (including inflation forecast and VAT). The state of Vorarlberg will bear 25 percent of Austria's share, up to a maximum of 274 million euros.

The implementation of "Rhesi" requires the conclusion of a fourth state treaty between the Republic of Austria and the Swiss Confederation on the improvement of flood protection on the Rhine from the mouth of the Ill to Lake Constance. The signing of this treaty is planned for May. The official procedures for "Rhesi" are scheduled to begin at the end of 2025.

For the safety of thousands of people
"The further improvement of flood protection in the Rhine Valley through the 'Rhesi' project is of crucial importance," said Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP). It is about the safety of thousands of people on both sides of the Rhine. Rhesi" will also significantly improve the Rhine in ecological terms.