Protective wall broken

How a snail delayed the dam renovation

The Danube barge snail lives along the Perschling. For the state, however, the inhabitants are more important, and the river is currently - finally - being restored.

(Bild: Büro LHStv Pernkopf)

The embankment along the Perschling river has been due to be reinforced for years, but debates about a protected species of snail dragged out the negotiations. Last Monday, the protective wall then gave way due to the masses of water and several villages had to be evacuated.

"Nature conservation ends exactly where protection for the population begins," emphasizes Stephan Pernkopf, Vice Provincial Minister. And leaves no more leeway for the restoration of the dam on the Perschling in the Tullnerfeld, which burst on Monday. Following a provisional sealing by Blackhawks with big bags, the protective wall is now being brought up to scratch by official order.

However, this should have happened a long time ago; the project has been the subject of dispute for several years because an endangered barge snail lives in the Danube tributary. This fall, the authorities finally gave the green light for the construction work. However, this comes too late for the residents of Rust and seven other villages, who had to be evacuated.

Army builds 250 meter long "road"
Since Thursday, so-called sheet pile walls have been driven deep into the ground over a length of around 200 meters by order of the authorities. The army had to lay a 250-metre-long folding road for the construction machinery to access the site. The new dam is now being built in cooperation with the fire department, the soldiers on assistance duty and specialist companies.

(Bild: Büro LHStv Pernkopf)

(Bild: Büro LHStv Pernkopf)

"Only then can the hole in the existing dam be drained, plugged and stabilized along its entire length," explains the provincial vice president. And fire department chief Dietmar Fahrafellner adds: "The dams on the Leitha were protected and secured by a huge effort, with 10,000 sandbags being laid out and 400 tons of bulk material being spread."