Rethinking required

“Modern agriculture caused flooding”

Compacted fields have absorbed too little water and flooded houses and gardens as a result, according to criticism in St. Pölten.

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

After the floods, the focus in St. Pölten is now on cleaning up, repairing and analyzing. In addition to the installation of a dedicated task force in the town hall, there are also demands on the federal and state governments - and on the farmers...

We know that we will have to experience flood events like this year again," says St. Pölten's Director of Construction Wolfgang Lengauer. This is why the town hall is working flat out to analyze and further develop flood protection. To this end, a task force has been set up within the building directorate. 

Redevelopment takes three years
More than a dozen individual projects are to be presented in the near future. River engineering experts from the company "DonauConsult", who have also examined more than 100 flood protection damages on the Traisen, are supporting the project. Their conclusion: the restoration will take at least three years.

Martin Petermann, Head of Municipal Building Construction (left), and Building Director Wolfgang Lengauer (right) presented Mayor Matthias Stadler with an interim report from the new task force.

(Bild: zVg)

In addition to repairs, work is also underway to further expand the flood protection system. "We have done a lot in recent years, but right now we need more funding," said Mayor Matthias Stadler (SPÖ), calling for help from the federal and state governments to bring forward projects that have already been planned, such as the expansion of the retention basins for the Nadelbach or the Reith ditch. The latter also requires the commitment of private landowners, to whom the mayor is also appealing: "We have to convince those who have so far shown no movement that it is necessary for the general public."

The Nadelbach even flooded the city center. Now it is to be given an extended retention basin sooner than planned.

(Bild: zVg)

"... then the wrong path was taken"
City councillor Harald Ludwig also believes that industrial agriculture is partly to blame for much of the damage: "The compacted fields resulting from modern farming methods have given the water hardly any opportunity to seep away. As a result, the masses of water ran like torrents from the fields into the gardens and houses. If there are no more drainage ditches and tractors resemble monster trucks, then the wrong path has been taken."