!!!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.

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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
100 Jahre Wildbachverbauung in Oesterreich. 1884-1984, 
1984; magazine "Wildbach- und Lawinenverbauung".


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