Purple flowers in the foreground with a tranquil river and lush greenery in the background on a cloudy day.

The embankments of the Inn in bloom are habitats for plant and animal species

As part of the EU-funded LIFE project Riverscape Lower Inn, VERBUND is implementing numerous measures to ecologically improve the landscape along the Lower Inn. This includes the promotion and development of meadow areas on the dams.

The Inn dams and dykes are not only technical facilities for damming and indispensable for flood protection, they are also home to flower-rich meadows. These form a blooming ribbon along the Inn and are a habitat for many rare and protected animal and plant species. These demanding species have been severely pushed back by intensive agriculture and land sealing and are hardly found there anymore. Even species from the Alpine region, such as the alpine lily of the valley, riverside riding grass, Franzen gentian or the Swiss moss fern can be found on the dams along the Lower Inn.

The LIFE project Riverscape Lower Inn is creating species-rich meadows and dry grasslands of European importance along the German-Austrian border.

On the dams of the Braunau-Simbach, Ering-Frauenstein, Egglfing-Obernberg and Schärding-Neuhaus power stations, species-rich meadows and dry grasslands are being developed and maintained according to ecological criteria.

Habitats and species that were once typical of (dry) barren sand and gravel habitats are now restricted to secondary habitat sites such as the flood protection dams.

By reducing or removing trees and shrubs, the existing vegetation has been converted into grassland habitats. A number of measures was carried out in accordance with the management plans. Not all trees or shrubs were removed. Small groups of trees/shrubs were left on the meadow or newly planted to serve as retreats for insects and reptiles or as nesting and hunting structures for birds.

Initial mowing of existing grassland removes alien species or other dominant but unfavorable plant species and nutrients in the soil. According to the management plans, this was carried out in a mosaic of land parcels depending on the situation and conservation status of the habitat.

Extensive care enables biodiversity

Species-rich, nutrient-poor and dry grasslands are found extensively on the Inn dams and dykes. This type of meadow and the species-rich oat meadows can almost exclusively be found on the Inn dams in the Inn Valley. An important task of the LIFE project is the professional maintenance of the meadow areas in order to preserve the biodiversity along the Inn in the long term.

Extensive and regular maintenance is necessary to promote the species-rich flowering meadows. Twice a year, more than 100 hectares of meadows are mowed over a length of around 40 km. This corresponds to an area of more than 140 football pitches.

Mowing the steep embankments prevents scrub encroachment. The laborious removal of the mown material ensures the necessary nutrient removal. Leaving unmown strips of meadow in place serves as a refuge for insects and other animals. Heat-loving insect species, especially butterflies, grasshoppers and wild bees, benefit from the maintenance measures. For example, 57 species of wild bees were counted on the Simbacher Damm. The regular maintenance of dams and dykes is a win-win situation. It ensures stability and at the same time preserves and promotes biodiversity.

Photo: Helmet orchid (orchis militaris) on the Seibersdorf dam
(c) Sabine Neuwerth

Purple blooms of a wild flower surrounded by green grass and foliage in sunlight.

Power Plants

On the dams of the Braunau-Simbach, Ering-Frauenstein, Egglfing-Obernberg and Schärding-Neuhaus power plants, species-rich meadows and dry grasslands are developed and maintained according to ecological criteria.

Aerial view of a run-of-river power plant on a river, surrounded by farmland on a sunny day.

The Braunau-Simbach power plant is a run-of-river power plant on the Inn and located in the municipalities of Ranshofen (Upper Austria) and Kirchdorf am Inn (Bavaria). The power plant was built between 1951 and 1954.

The Kirchdorf embankment is located to the southeast of the town of Kirchdorf am Inn and extends upstream with a length of 4.7 km from the gravel store at Gstetten to the Inn power plant at Braunau-Simbach.

The embankment along the dam of the Braunau-Simbach power plant is 26 km long and has the potential for the development of high-quality, species-rich meadows for xerophilic vegetation and fauna.

Aerial view of a run-of-river power plant located in a rural setting.

The Ering-Frauenstein power plant is a run-of-river power plant on the Inn and lies on the border between Austria and Germany. A pedestrian bridge connects the two countries. The power plant was put into operation in 1943, the embankment along the dam of the Ering-Frauenstein power plant is 18 km long.

Aerial view of a run-of-river power plant, surrounded by green foliage and a small town in the background.

The Egglfing-Obernberg power plant on the Inn lies on the border between Austria and Bavaria and was put into operation in 1944.

The embankment along the dam of the Egglfing-Obernberg power plant is 18 km long and has the potential for the development of high-quality, species-rich meadows for xerophilic vegetation and fauna.

Aerial view of a river power plant with green water, surrounded by a landscape with buildings in the background.

The Schärding-Neuhaus power plant is a run-of-river power plant on the Inn and located in the municipalities of Schärding in Upper Austria and Neuhaus in Bavaria, the embankment along the dam of the Schärding-Neuhaus power plant extends over 26 km.

Further measures of the LIFE Riverscape Lower Inn project

Continuity and habitat

Power plants represents barriers to the migration of aquatic lifeforms. The aim at two power plants is to create not only continuity but also habitat.

Bypasses
Aerial view of a power plant on a river with backed-up water, adjacent wooded area, and hiking trails in clear weather.

Floodplains

Lost river structures should be recreated around a total of three power plants in the project area. The floodplains play a special role in this – as habitats for typical flora and fauna.

Floodplains
A natural water area surrounded by trees and reeds.