Wildbach- und Lawinenverbauung#

Torrent and Avalanche Control: In contrast to other streams and rivers, torrents are characterised by a steep fall, sudden rises in the water level and heavy bed-load transportation. The catchment areas of torrents and avalanches comprise 62 % of Austrian federal territory. In 2000, 11,000 torrent catchment areas were registered in Austria, of which one third is stabilised by technical or biological measures. An area of 270,000 hectares still has to be afforested in the catchment areas and 161,000 hectares of protection forest have to be restored. In earlier times, torrents were regulated in their beds only (linear torrent control), whereas today the entire catchment area is controlled. At present, 900 technical torrent, avalanche and erosion control and 600 protection forest restoration projects are in preparation.

After some preliminary attempts, torrent and avalanche control started in the 19th century. Due to devastating floods in 1882, a law was passed on June 30, 1884 (repromulgated in 1959 and integrated into the Forest Act in 1975), which became the legal basis for control measures. Torrent and avalanche control is within the purview of direct federal administration; all 29 local building authorities for avalanche control are directly managed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Environment and Water Management. Torrent control occupied a dominant position up to the Second World War; however, the extension of the road network and the increasing number of ski resorts have emphasised the need for more attention to avalanche control. In 1995, 4,834 areas in danger of avalanches were registered in Austria, of which 520 have been protected by avalanche control structures. Hydraulic Engineering, Avalanche Protection, Flood.

Literature#