DANUBEPARKS is excited to share the start of the “Lost "Paradeis - Dynamic Danube side-channel restoration, Austria” project, together with the Donau-Auen National Park and the Austrian waterway navigation company viadonau.
The project will complement the efforts of the DANUBE4all Horizon Europe project to fully restore the natural hydrological dynamics at one of the most valuable and picturesque islands in Upper Danube – the Paradeis island complex, located in Donau-Auen National Park. The construction of riparian embankments and groynes for securing the navigable channel next to the Paradeis island has led to loss of hydro-morphological dynamics and ongoing sedimentation, resulting in the complete disappearance of the side channel at low water levels, ongoing succession and vanishing of the characteristic riparian vegetation and fauna.
The project aims to restore a free-flowing hind-channel, improving the longitudinal connectivity through the removal of 9 groynes currently obstructing the section between the Paradeis island and the left bank of the Danube. The actions will be enhanced through the removal of the adjacent embankment provided within the synergetic DANUBE4All project. The two complementary actions will work together to enable the re-establishment of natural dynamic processes and allow the restoration of the ecosystem functions and services, allowing the formation of natural river banks and vegetation along the largest navigable river in Europe. The new side arm will improve fish habitats, providing protection from wave stress and offering a mosaic of diverse micro-habitats including shallow waters and gravel banks. The restoration of the hind channel will contribute to improved resilience and flood protection and helps to counteract problematic deepening of the riverbed. It aims to improve the ecological framework and hydrological conditions, supporting the unique riparian ecosystem services.
The project starts now and shall be completed by November 2026. It is funded by the Open Rivers Programme, which aims to create free-flowing rivers with healthy, diverse and connected ecosystems across Europe, which are enjoyed, valued, and protected by the communities that depend on them. The Open Rivers Programme officially began operating in October 2021, with funding from Arcadia, a charitable foundation that works to protect nature, preserve cultural heritage and promote open access to knowledge. The funds provided will be doubled by the Austrian navigation company viadonau. We are really excited to embark on this adventure together with the Open Rivers Programme and help the river to regain its natural character and support the invaluable riparian ecosystem functions and services!
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You can find more information about the Open Rivers Programme Grants HERE.