In:
Österreichische Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaft, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Vol. 70, No. 5-6 ( 2018-06), p. 305-315
Abstract:
Floodplains are an important part of riverine landscapes. Their expansion and ecological functioning have declined sharply, especially in the last 200 years due to increasing human use. The colonization of floodplains went hand in hand with a fundamental change in flood protection practices. Using the example of the Traisen river landscape in the area of the city of St. Pölten, this article describes the parallel and mutually influencing processes of land use change, settlement development and the evolution of technical flood protection measures. In the spatial and temporal patterns of St. Pölten’s settlement development in the Traisen floodplains industrialization, urbanization, urban planning and technical flood protection practices were driving factors. In the 20th century, the city expanded continuously towards and in the river floodplains. This expansion was initially limited to the edges of the 100-year flood area, while along the flood protection dikes, which were erected between 1905 and 1909 a grassland and floodplain forest section remained until 1960. This zone was deliberately kept free of buildings as it was inundated during major floods. After the flood of 1959, the city also designated the sections close to the river as construction zones. Simultaneously, the decision was taken to extend flood protection to a 100-year runoff event. In the following decades, permanent residential buildings and settlements were built directly along the Traisen River. Currently, the existing floodplain uses and the resulting ecological consequences pose major challenges for water management. These can only be addressed based on planning on catchment scale, integration of a variety of use requirements including ecology and the consideration of spatial planning as guiding principles.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0945-358X
,
1613-7566
DOI:
10.1007/s00506-018-0473-9
Language:
German
Publisher:
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication Date:
2018
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1186984-7
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2383304-X
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