Austria invests in flood protection after 2024 disasters
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Following severe flooding in September 2024, authorities in Lower Austria completed 35 flood protection projects totaling around 141 million euros.
Over 130,000 emergency personnel responded to the floods, which particularly impacted the Pielach, Sierning, Perschling, and Tulln rivers. The largest completed project, costing nearly 40 million euros, protects the areas of Rossatz-Arnsdorf along the Danube River.
Additional projects finished include improvements to the Lainsitz river in Gmünd for 12.2 million euros, work in Krems costing 11 million euros, and enhancements to the Hagenbach stream in St. Andrä-Wördern for 10.5 million euros. The province also began work on 37 further projects with a combined value of approximately 55 million euros, such as flood defenses in St. Veit an der Gölsen and a retention basin for the Nadelbach in St. Pölten.
Looking ahead, Lower Austria plans to start 32 more flood protection projects by 2028, requiring an investment of around 160 million euros. These future projects will focus on the Pielach and Perschling rivers, both of which suffered significant damage during the 2024 floods. Beyond building walls, roughly one-third of the funding supports restoring space for rivers and utilizing retention measures.
