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Lower Lobau protected area faces severe drought crisis
The Lower Lobau, a protected area comprising a quarter of the Donau-Auen National Park in Vienna, is facing a severe ecological crisis due to drought and heatwaves. Michael Stelzhammer of the WWF has described the state of the area as ‘extremely bad,’ warning that the lack of water threatens the habitats of species for which this area is a final refuge.
The crisis is attributed to the area being largely cut off from the Danube following river regulations in 1870, leading to increasing siltation and a loss of the natural interplay between high and low water levels. To combat this, the WWF is calling for an immediate artificial water supply (dotation) from the Danube and for the area to be officially included in the water renaturation atlas.
While water diversion has been implemented in the Upper Lobau for approximately two years to improve its ecological state, the City of Vienna is currently evaluating further measures for the Lower Lobau. These actions are pending the results of a groundwater flow model to assess potential impacts on the local water balance and the drinking water supply.
Entities
City of Vienna · Danube · Lower Lobau · Michael Stelzhammer · WWF
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The WWF demands that water be diverted from the Danube into the Lower Lobau. www.vol.at · kurier.at · www.tt.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Water diversion has been occurring in the Upper Lobau for approximately two years to improve ecological conditions. www.vol.at · www.tt.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The lack of water is a death blow that has been occurring over decades. www.vol.at · kurier.at · www.tt.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Lower Lobau should be registered in the water renaturation atlas. www.vol.at · kurier.at · www.tt.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The City of Vienna is making further measures dependent on the results of a groundwater flow model. www.vol.at · kurier.at · www.tt.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Lower Lobau protected area is in an extremely poor condition due to drought and heatwaves. www.vol.at · kurier.at · www.tt.com