Susanna Muhar, Andreas Muhar, Gregory Egger, Dominik Siegrist (Eds.)
Rivers of the Alps
Susanna Muhar, Andreas Muhar, Gregory Egger, Dominik Siegrist (Eds.)
Rivers of the Alps Diversity in Nature and Culture
Haupt Verlag
Editors: Susanna Muhar, Andreas Muhar University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Gregory Egger Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany Dominik Siegrist University of Applied Sciences, Rapperswil, Switzerland
Project Management: Kerstin Böck Design: Georg Bautz, Michelle Reischl Translation and Editing: Nadežda Kinsky-Müngersdorff, Kim Meyer-Cech, Daniel S. Hayes, Christian Hlavac Assistance: Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber, Kim Ressar, Olivia Wilfling, Lisa Reiss, Matthias Neumann, Nicole Trummer
Front Cover Photograph: Isel, Wolfgang Retter Back Cover Photograph: Leisure use, Andreas Muhar; Lech, Gregory Egger; Piave, Austrian State Archives; European grayling, Walter Reisinger
Supported by the Bristol Foundation
1st edition: 2019 Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek: Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; Detailed bibliographic data is available at: http://dnb.dnb.de ISBN 978-3-258-08117-5 All Rights reserved. Copyright © 2019 Haupt Berne Any kind of reproduction without permission of the owner of copyright is not allowed. The respective authors are responsible for the contents of each contribution. Printed in Germany
www.haupt.ch
Editors’ Preface and Acknowledgements Rivers are the lifelines of any landscape; that is especially true for the Alps. It was along rivers where humans first settled the Alpine sphere, and even today these waterways still shape our lives and economic activities in this region. Alpine rivers are diverse, dynamic ecosystems that provide habitats for a plethora of organisms and species communities. Conjuring up an image of the Alps, most will focus on their peaks. There are a great number of books available on the mountains of the Alps, but only very few on the rivers of this region at the centre of Europe. Following a lengthy planning period, we, the editorial team, were able to include 150 authors hailing from all countries of the Alpine sphere in order to contribute their expertise and personal perspectives on Alpine rivers. Thirty-four expert chapters illuminate riverscapes from the viewpoints of natural, cultural and social sciences. There follow portraits of a selection of 54 Alpine rivers. It was particularly important to us that this book, which is being published in a German and an English language version, will not only serve professionals as a reference work but also appeal to a wider public. The careful preparation of the texts by the editing and translation team as well as an attractive, richly illustrated book design are geared towards achieving this aim. We hope that this volume will trigger our readership’s interest and delight, thereby contributing to a greater awareness of the unique nature and value of Alpine rivers as well as the ways in which they are endangered. We hope to motivate our fellow humans to stand up for a sustainable use and the protection of these unique waters. We want to express our gratitude to all those who have contributed to the creation of this book: the authors of expert chapters and river portraits, contributors of images as well as the competent team in charge of project organisation, comprehensive graphic design, editing and translation. This project could not have been realised without financial support. We therefore extend our heartfelt thanks to the Bristol Foundation and its director Mario Broggi. Finally, we want to thank our publisher Matthias Haupt in particular for the motivation and patience he has offered us along the way. Susanna Muhar, Andreas Muhar, Gregory Egger, Dominik Siegrist
Markus Reiterer Secretary General of the Alpine Convention
‘A river is a personality, it has rage and love, it has force, a destiny, ailments, and a hunger for adventures.’ This is how the renowned French author Jean Giono describes the multi-faceted nature of rivers in his 1934 novel Le chant du monde (The Song of the World). As Jean Giono originated from Manosque, a small town in the French Alps, we may assume that he had an Alpine river in mind when writing these words. So indeed, water from the Alps and Alpine rivers do have many faces. Water is stored as ice and snow in the mountains and released to the rivers in spring and summer. Alpine rivers provide drinking water for millions of people, irrigate our fields, are a major attraction for sports and leisure and constitute a climate-friendly energy supply. And on top of it all, they are hotspots of biodiversity and living ecosystems. In short, rivers of the Alps are the defining lifelines of our society. Against this background, the Alpine Convention, as the first international treaty for the protection and sustainable development of an entire mountain region, aims ‘to preserve or re-establish healthy water systems, in particular by keeping lakes and rivers free of pollution, by applying natural hydraulic engineering techniques and by using water power, which serves the interests of both the indigenous population and the environment alike’ (see Article 2 of the Alpine Convention). I am intrigued to see that this book tackles so many of these important water questions in the Alps and manages to present them with research, data and views that will, I am sure, also serve as food for thought for each of you: readers, researchers, policy makers and stakeholders. For this, we owe a debt of gratitude and acknowledgement to the authors and editors of this volume; also for taking on the challenge of creating such a comprehensive and attractive publication. I wish you all an enjoyable read; may this book be a fresh stream of knowledge for you.
Klement Tockner President of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
The Alps are frequently called the ‘playground’ or the ‘water tower’ of Europe, reflecting their pivotal role in sustaining the social and economic well-being of an entire continent. The Alps cover an area of about 200,000 square kilometres and are home to more than thirteen million people. Moreover, a further twenty million people inhabit the area within a short distance of forty kilometres from the perimeter of the Alps, and 120 million tourists visit their valleys and mountains every year. This clearly reflects the multiple values and services the Alps provide for people and nature alike. At the same time, these values are increasingly under threat. Climate change, for example, affects the Alps more than most other regions in Europe, with an average temperature increase already exceeding the maximum 2 °C target of the Paris Agreement. In 1876, glaciers covered a total area of 1,800 square kilometres. Since then, the total glaciated area has retreated by forty per cent in Austria and thirty per cent in Switzerland, with an almost complete loss of glaciers anticipated by the end of the century. Large European rivers and their tributaries arise in the Alps, connecting mountains with lowlands and, eventually, with the Black, Northern, Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. However, only a small number of these rivers remain in a near-natural state, and many free-flowing headwaters are facing a major threat from an unprecedented boom in small hydropower plant construction, despite the tiny contribution to overall energy production provided by these plants. This reveals the unpredictable risks and future uncertainties we may expect due to climate and land-use changes and rapidly altering socio-economic conditions. The rivers in the Alps are early warning indicators of these fundamental and long-term changes. Indeed, we have to manage freshwater systems as well-balanced hybrid systems: as an essential resource for human consumption as well as a highly valuable and fragile ecosystem. Traditionally, the Alps form the natural and cultural backbone of Europe with their high biological diversity and strong cultural identity. For the future, we need bold visions and major steps to maintain the Alps as linked biocultural systems, as well as an advanced understanding of the underlying driving forces of the coupling and decoupling of cultural and biological diversity. Sustainable management and political decisions, however, must be based on scientific evidence. The present book integrates the collective knowledge of 150 dedicated authors from six Alpine countries as well as different disciplines and organisations. It provides a timely and comprehensive basis for developing a shared, bold vision, setting priorities for river and ecosystem management and sustaining the unique biocultural landscapes for which the Alps are famous. In this respect, the book will increase awareness of the cultural and biological heritage of the Alps.
Mario F. Broggi Board of Trustees Bristol Foundation
Water provides the only connected, comprehensive natural network for humans, animals and plants in the Alpine sphere. Europe is traversed by large rivers that spring from the Alpine sphere: Rhine, Rhône, Drava, Durance, Inn and Po among them. The Alps are noted for their role as the ‘water tower’ of Europe. Yet we hardly heed the Alpine rivers, brooks and streams – is it because of their apparent abundance? This oversight is even more remarkable in light of the globally vital importance of a sustainable approach to water. We have dozens of terms to describe the noise of flowing water: it may thunder, roar, gush, splash, gurgle, or even babble. In many places, we have harnessed the force of the waters’ current in order to generate energy in power plants. Hydropower is considered a ‘clean, local and renewable’ source of energy, and therefore environmentally sound. That may be true, but the affected landscapes are not renewable. The overlooked downside of the equation is damage to landscapes and their ecosystems. The natural resource ‘water’ is being over-consumed. The energy transition, moving away from fossil fuel energy, once again exposes Alpine rivers to the great danger of complete exploitation. Water has been ‘exorcised of its spirit’ in the valleys, as well. Rivers have been channelised and brooks even culverted, thereby reducing the significant formative presence of waterways in the plains. We have gone much too far in our exploitation and structural engineering of Alpine rivers. The straightening of rivers has greatly increased their flow power and erosive force during heavy rainfall events. In the context of climate change, we must expect even further effects. We are likely to face a scarcity of the water to which we have given too little of the space that is a prerequisite for life and its diversity. We must launch a massive effort of revitalisation. This book depicts the natural conditions of Alpine rivers, their significance as habitats, as well as economic activities that have taken place along these lifelines. The many faces of the relationships humans have forged with rivers are detailed in it. Our primary goal must now be the protection of the few remaining untouched rivers, brooks and streams. These ‘last of their kind’ must not be sacrificed for a little more electricity production or other for-profit targets. Unless we give non-commercial ideas more scope in our civil society, our entire world will be commercialised and eventually destroyed. Nature is worth so much more than its commercial value. Rivers fascinate and invite closer inspection; their life-giving qualities are as apparent as their endangered state. This is reason enough for the Bristol Foundation to sponsor this work. Its approach to span across the Alpine sphere is both challenging and worthwhile. We hope that this clearly written and accessible book will increase the appreciation of the Alps as a ‘water tower’.
8
Contents 3.2
Fish
126
Endangered aquatic biodiversity in the heart of Europe Günther Unfer, Andreas Meraner, Didier Pont
Forewords
5
3.3
Crayfish
146
Nocturnal individualists Jürgen Petutschnig
1 1.1
Introduction Rivers in the Alps – Rivers from the Alps
3.4
14
Terminology and geographical limits
River Names and their Meanings
22 3.5
An etymological overview
The History of Human Use and Interference
3.6
Gertrud Haidvogl, Didier Pont, Žiga Zwitter
Biophysical Foundations
2.1
The Emergence of Riverscapes
46
3.7
56
3.8
74
3.9
Riparian and Floodplain Vegetation Gregory Egger, Anton Drescher, Patrice Prunier, Lena Gräßer, Isabell Juszczyk, Helmut Kudrnovsky, Lukas Blasel, Rosa Schönle, Christian Roulier, Norbert Müller
86
3.10 Invasive Species Distribution and strategies
Severin Hohensinner, Renate Becsi, Gregory Egger, Markus Fiebig, Friedrich Knopper, Susanna Muhar, Hervé Piégay
Gregory Egger, Alisa Zittel, Isabell Juszczyk, Christine Resch,Werner Krupitz, Stefan Resch, Lars Gerstner, Franz Essl
Alpine Riverscapes as Habitats
3.1
Ecosystem Alpine River Permanent change Gregory Egger, Lena Gräßer, Michael Reich,
182
Survivor artists in an ever-changing environment
The many faces of Alpine rivers
3
178
Christian Ragger, Hans Schmid, Matthias Gattermayr
Helmut Habersack, Johann Aigner, Marlene Haimann, Mario Klösch, Marcel Liedermann, Christoph Hauer, Hervé Piégay
Morphology
Birds Feathered commuters on Alpine rivers
Dynamics of erosion and sedimentation
2.4
174
Stefan Resch, Christine Resch, Irene Weinberger
The Alps as the water tower of Europe
The Sediment Balance of Alpine Rivers
Mammals Shy masters of adaptation
Rolf Weingartner, Josef Fürst, Karsten Schulz 2.3
170
Christine Resch, Stefan Resch, Werner Krupitz
Markus Fiebig, Severin Hohensinner, Andreas Muhar
Hydrology
Amphibians and Reptiles Floodplain inhabitants far from the current
Geology in the Alpine sphere
2.2
162
Christian Komposch, Gregor Degasperi, Werner E. Holzinger
36
Alpine rivers as resource and risk factor
2
Arachnids and Insects Specialists at the border of water and land
Thomas Franz Schneider, Simon Kistler 1.3
150
Wolfram Graf, Christian Moritz, Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber, Anne Hartmann, Florian Dossi, Patrick Leitner
Andreas Muhar, Georg Bautz 1.2
Benthic Macroinvertebrates Diversity from the source to the mouth – it all begins in the Alps
4
Settlement and Economic Activities on Alpine Rivers
4.1
Rivers and Transport Routes
114
Christian Komposch, Emil Dister, Erika Schneider,
The significance of river crossings for transit networks in Alpine valleys
Norbert Müller
Cornel Doswald
202
214
4.2
4.3
4.4
Land Use and Settlements
226
Reaching hidden worlds
Gertrud Haidvogl, Erich Tasser
Clémence Perrin-Malterre
Floods and Flood Protection
238
5.11 Recreational Fishing
Past events and future strategies
River experiences with rod, fly and bait
Christoph Hauer, Beatrice Wagner, Bernhard Schober, Stefan Haun, Markus Noack, Gertrud Haidvogl, Fabio Luino, Guido Zolezzi, Francesco Comiti, Severin Hohensinner, Helmut Habersack
Philipp Sicher
Hydropower through Time
248
6
Protection and Restoration
6.1
Status and Protection of Rivers
The significance of Alpine rivers for the energy sector
A pan-Alpine overview
Peter Matt, Otto Pirker, Martin Schletterer
Susanna Muhar, Carina Seliger, Rafaela Schinegger, Sigrid Scheikl, Julia Brändle, Daniel S. Hayes, Stefan Schmutz
5
Humans and Nature
5.1
Rivers in Mythology
262
A hidden world of mystical creatures Monika Kropej Telban 5.2
5.10 Canyoning
Alpine riverscapes as settlement and economic areas
Perception of Riverscapes
268
6.2
Restoration
295
297
302
320
New life for Alpine rivers Susanna Muhar, Fanny Arnaud, Hugo Aschwanden, Walter Binder, Mario Broggi, Franz Greimel, Friedrich Knopper, Klaus Michor, Bertrand Morandi, Hervé Piégay
Sensual experience and knowledge Andreas Muhar, Marylise Cottet, Matthias Buchecker, Berit Köhler, Kerstin Böck 5.3
The Source Flows Inwards
River Portraits 272
An approach from depth psychology
Fifty-four Rivers in Spotlight
346
Aare
350
Robert Michor 5.4
Painting by the Water
274
Thoughts on art inspired by ecology
Adda
Hannelore Nenning 5.5
Leisure and Tourism
278
5.7
Arc-en-Maurienne 285
Arve
Helmut Tiefenthaler
Aude Zingraff-Hamed
Woman of the Rivers
288
5.9
Avisio
289
Buëch Frédéric Liebault
Lukas Stadtherr
Dora Baltea
Canoeing and Rafting Tino Reinecke
362 364 366
Frédéric Liebault
A new network of routes in the Alps
Conquering the wet element by sport
358
Guido Zolezzi, Francesco Comiti
Bléone
Liliane Waldner
Cycling along Rivers
356
Benoît Camenen
Daring paths and spectacular views
Hiking along rivers gives meaning to my illness
5.8
Ammer – Amper Thomas C. Wagner
Andreas Muhar, Dominik Siegrist
Hiking in Gorges and Ravines
354
Oscar del Barba
Experiencing Alpine rivers
5.6
Adrian Fahrni, Franziska Witschi
292
368 370
Andrea Mammoliti Mochet
Drac
372
Frédéric Liébault
Drava Birgit Mark-Stöhr, Michael Koschat, Michael Mark,
374
Drôme
378
Durance
380
Piave
386
Reuss
388
Rhine
Verena Lubini
Enns Karin Hochegger, Clemens Gumpinger, Kerstin Böck
Etsch / Adige
392
Francesco Comiti, Guido Zolezzi
Gail
394
Wolfgang Honsig-Erlenburg
Großache – Tiroler Achen – Alz
396
Thomas C. Wagner
Gurk
398
Wolfgang Honsig-Erlenburg
Idrijca
Isel
416
Salzach
464
Kerstin Böck, Andreas Muhar, Susanna Muhar
468
472
Saša Starec
474
Raffaella Zorza, Sašo Šantl
478
Stefan Schneiderbauer, Franz Überwimmer
Tessin / Ticino
420
Toce
480 484 486
Paolo Sala, Pietro Volta
422
Traun
488
Clemens Gumpinger
424
Var
426
Verdon
Gregory Egger, Michael Reich, Isabell Juszczyk
Linth
Roni Hunziker, Dirk Schroer, Georg Heim
Vispa 430
Dominik Siegrist
Ybbs 432
490
Margot Chapuis Margot Chapuis
Loisach
462
Andreas Muhar
Alma Sartoris
Verena Lubini
Lech
460
Walter Bertoldi, Nicola Surian
Willy Mueller, Lukas Hunzinger
Kleine Emme
Salza
Tagliamento
Petra Repnik Mah
Kander
456
Pascal Mulattieri, Claudia Zaugg
Steyr
Philippe Belleudy
Kamniška Bistrica
Saane
Soča / Isonzo
412
452
Jérémie Riquier, Marylise Cottet
Savinja
Walter Hopfgartner, Wolfgang Retter, Susanna Muhar
Isère
Rhône
404
Aude Zingraff-Hamed, Gregory Egger
448
Sandra Hocevar, Irene Bühlmann, Verena Lubini
Mojca Hrovat, Marija Habinc, Nataša Smolar Žvanut
408
446
Peter Gisler, Stefan Flury, Barbara Leuthold
Sava
Gregory Egger, Angelika Abderhalden, Thomas Herrmann, Andreas Muhar
Isar
444
Bruno Boz
400
Jurij Krajčič
Inn
Noce
384
Francesco Comiti, Guido Zolezzi
Emme
442
Guido Zolezzi, Francesco Comiti
Margot Chapuis
Eisack / Isarco
Nadiža / Natisone Raffaella Zorza
Claire Eme, Chrystel Fermond
492 494 496
Stefan Guttmann
Thomas C. Wagner
Maggia
434
Roberto Buffi
Mur Clemens Ratschan
438
Additional References for the River Portraits List of Figures Authors
498 501 505
12
1. Introduction 1.1
Rivers in the Alps – Rivers from the Alps: Terminology and Geographical Limits
1.2
River Names and their Meanings: An Etymological Overview
1.3
The History of Human Use and Interference: Alpine Rivers as Resource and Risk Factor
Sesia, Piedmont
~ Introduction
13
1.1
Rivers in the Alps – Rivers from the Alps Terminology and geographical limits Andreas Muhar, Georg Bautz
Innschlucht, Finstermünz Innsbruck Mouth of the Inn into the Danube, Passau
What constitutes an Alpine river? The Alps are the highest mountain range in the centre of Europe. The water carried by Alpine rivers comes from the mountains, but the rivers themselves flow through the valleys that have been incised into the bedrock – by the rivers themselves, and in the Alps often also by glaciers. Mountain rivers differ in many regards from lowland rivers; and for lowland rivers, it makes a difference whether their headwaters are located in high mountain areas or not. With a length of altogether more than 500 kilometres, the Inn is one of the longest Alpine rivers. Its source lies in the Swiss Canton of Grisons and it ends its course by forming a stretch of the Austro-German border before draining into the Danube near the city of Passau. The Alpine character of the Inn riverscape is as apparent in the broad valley of the Engadine as it is further downstream in the narrow canyons at the Austrian border and even later on in the Tyrolean Inn valley. Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol, is flanked by high mountains on either side, which line the high-speed passage of the Inn wherever it has not yet been dammed up for power generation. In contrast, as the river passes through the German province of Bavaria in its lower reaches, it flows through gently rolling hills. The character of the landscape no longer indicates the presence of a mountain river, yet the water of that river, murky as it can be, especially so during the summer months, is a clear giveaway of its origins in the glacial catchment of the central Alps. May we still consider it an Alpine river at this stage? In Passau, at the confluence of the rivers Inn and Danube, the Inn contributes the larger volume of water. Consequently, even this section of the Danube could arguably be regarded an Alpine river. There are a range of approaches to defining the Alpine nature of a river. These hinge on whether it is crucial that the river is passing through the Alps or that it is a river originating from the Alps. The former requires a precise definition of the
14
Var above Nice, the valley bottom is at an elevation of about 300 metres.
geographical boundaries of the Alps, while the latter demands an investigation of the degree of influence yielded by the Alpine aspect of a river system on its lower reaches.
The boundaries of the Alpine sphere
ries of the Alpine sphere. Depending on how these boundaries were drawn, the number and total length of rivers contained therein differed.
Alpine Convention
This book will examine Alpine rivers from many different perspectives. Each discipline has its way of defining the ‘Alpine sphere’ or the term ‘Alpine’ (Bätzing, 2005). In geology, rock types and tectonic lines define the boundaries between Alpine areas and the surrounding basin landscapes as well as the adjacent mountain ranges (Pfiffner, 2015). Vegetation science speaks of Alpine vegetation when they refer to plant populations present above the tree line, i.e. from about 1,700 to 2,300 m altitude. Alpine rivers, however, hardly require altitude for their definition – the French Maritime Alps in fact feature Alpine rivers that descend as low as sea level. In cultural studies, current definitions of the Alpine sphere hinge on the polarities of tradition and modernity, persistence and change as well as urban and rural space (Leimgruber, 2003; Salsa, 2009; Mathieu, 2015). Such considerations do not permit the delineation of an exact border. Since the 1970s there have been many initiatives in the Alpine sphere that have striven to encourage cooperation across state borders in areas such as regional development, conservation, culture, tourism and traffic. Political programmes and legal regulations require a clear definition of their territorial scope. Hence, these initiatives have each provided an occasion to agree on a valid administrative specification of the bounda-
The Alpine Convention is an international treaty signed in 1991 to protect and encourage sustainable development in the Alps. Parties to the contract were the EU (then EEC) as well as the seven Alpine countries of Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Slovenia. Its geographic scope of application is defined at hand of the administrative borders of lower administrative units (e.g. municipalities, districts). The definition of the Alpine sphere is rather narrow, comprising almost exclusively mountainous regions and the valleys therein. Its boundaries are, therefore, mostly concordant with those that are drawn purely based on morphology (e.g., difference in elevation), such as the delineation according to the Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (Körner et al., 2017). The territorial scope of the Alpine Convention does not include the large urban agglomerations on the edges of the Alps such as Milan, Zurich, Munich, and Vienna; in the case of Vienna, it actually ends at the very city limits. All subsequent accounts will refer to the rivers with a catchment area of at least 100 km² contained in the European River and Catchment database CCM (Catchment Characterisation and Modelling; Vogt et al., 2007). Based on this inventory of river networks, the area covered by the Alpine Convention includes a total river length of about 13,000 kilometres.
~ Introduction: 1.1 Rivers in the Alps – Rivers from the Alps
15
16
Comparison of population numbers and total length of rivers with more than 100 km2 catchment size in the Alps
Data sources: EUSTAT, Alpine Convention
~ Themenbereich: Kapitel
17
Rivers form a continuous system from source to mouth. The example of the Rhône is notable in highlighting the difficulties inherent in defining an Alpine river based on administrative borders. The river passes through the Alpine Convention area from its origin to its outlet into Lake Geneva. From Geneva onwards, it then flows alternately just outside or just on the border of this area for the next hundred kilometres, to eventually leave the Alpine Conventions’ territory and remain at about forty kilometres distance from its boundary until the river reaches its estuary. Even the river Danube, incidentally, is classified as a ‘proper Alpine river’ for a short stretch upstream from Vienna in accordance with the limits drawn by the Alpine Convention. Most rivers on the southern side of the Alps empty into the river Po, and yet only a very brief section of the upper reaches of this river itself is located within the territory of the Alpine Convention.
Alpine Space Programme The EU Alpine Space Programme supports cross-border cooperation in fields such as sustainable regional development, innovation, culture, education and conservation. This programme uses a broader scope of application than the Alpine Convention does and bases its boundaries on higher administrative levels (e.g., federal provinces, regions). In this understanding, the rivers Rhône and Po are ‘Alpine rivers’ for their full lengths. However, the scope of this programme contains some significant discrepancies to geographic delineations. For example, it classifies the entire national territory of Austria as Alpine space, although, from a geological point of view, the country’s north-
ern parts belong to the Bohemian massif and not to the Alps. The Alpine Space Programme scope of application in particular also entails the larger urban areas. This delineation, therefore, does not only include more rivers (30,000 km total length) than the area of the Alpine Convention but also many more inhabitants and, subsequently, higher demands placed on the manifold functions of streams and rivers.
Alpine macroregion The EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) has an even more expansive definition of the Alpine region, stretching its reaches further into the north to fully include the German provinces of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg. Thereby, the Danube is also an Alpine river from its very source up to the Austro-Slovakian border, as is the Rhine as far as Mannheim. This demarcation appears at first to have little relevance for this book; this could change, however, as soon as river-related support programmes are developed for the EUSALP Region.
The rivers’ spheres of influence beyond the Alpine region The most important rivers of Central Europe, such as the Rhine, Rhône and Po, take a large part of their waters from the Alps. Even though the Danube originates from the Black Forest region it receives many tributaries from the Alps, so that by the time it reaches Vienna, most of the Danube’s flow is Alpine water. How does the ‘Alpine’ origin of its water volume influence the lower reaches of a river? Many chapters of this book will dwell on individual aspects in depth. This chapter will, therefore, only emphasise some highlights.
Mountain river ŵŽƐƚůLJ ŚŝŐŚ ŐƌĂĚŝĞŶƚ ĐŽĂƌƐĞ ďĞĚůŽĂĚ ƐƵƐƉĞŶĚĞĚ ŵĂƩĞƌ ĨƌŽŵ ŐůĂĐŝĞƌƐ ŵŽƐƚůLJ ŶĂƌƌŽǁ ǀĂůůĞLJƐ ŵŽƌĞ ĞƌŽƐŝŽŶ ƚŚĂŶ ƐĞĚŝŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ ůŽǁ ŶƵƚƌŝĞŶƚ ůĞǀĞů ůŽǁ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƚĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌĞ ŚŝŐŚ ŽdžLJŐĞŶ ĐŽŶƚĞŶƚ ůŽǁ ďŝŽůŽŐŝĐĂů ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ƐŵĂůů ŐƌŽƵŶĚǁĂƚĞƌ ďŽĚLJ
18
Lowland river ǁĂƚĞƌ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ƐĞĂƐŽŶĂů ǀĂƌŝĂƟŽŶƐ ƐĞĚŝŵĞŶƚƐ ŶƵƚƌŝĞŶƚƐ ĚŝƐƉĞƌƐĂů ŽƌŐĂŶƐ ĮƐŚ ĂŶĚ ďĞŶƚŚŝĐ ĚƌŝŌ
ƵƉƐƚƌĞĂŵ ŵŝŐƌĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ĮƐŚĞƐ ĂŶĚ ďĞŶƚŚŝĐ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐŵƐ
ŵŽƐƚůLJ ůŽǁ ŐƌĂĚŝĞŶƚ ĮŶĞ ďĞĚůŽĂĚ ƐƵƐƉĞŶĚĞĚ ŵĂƩĞƌ ĨƌŽŵ ŐůĂĐŝĞƌƐ ŵŽƐƚůLJ ǁŝĚĞ ǀĂůůĞLJƐ ŵŽƌĞ ƐĞĚŝŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ ƚŚĂŶ ĞƌŽƐŝŽŶ ŚŝŐŚ ŶƵƚƌŝĞŶƚ ůĞǀĞů ŚŝŐŚ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƚĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌĞ ůŽǁ ŽdžLJŐĞŶ ĐŽŶƚĞŶƚ ŚŝŐŚ ďŝŽůŽŐŝĐĂů ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĂƌŐĞ ŐƌŽƵŶĚǁĂƚĞƌ ďŽĚLJ
Relationship between the upper and lower reaches of a mountain river
EUSALP Alpine Space program ůƉŝŶĞ ŽŶǀĞŶƟŽŶ 3000
Influence of the Alps on the discharge of the Rhine (data source: Belz et al. 2007)
2500
medium discharge [m³/s]
Discharge [m³/s]
2000
low discharge [m³/s]
1500
1000
100
150
200
250
400
550
600
65 50
Middle Rhine e
700
800
Lower Rhine
850
Lobith
Rees
Ruhr 750
Lippe
Cologne
Sieg
500
Lahn Mosel Andernach
450
K b Kaub
350
Upper Rhine
Nahe
300
Maxau
Basel
Aare
Rekingen
Thur 50
High Rhine
Main
0
Neckar Worms
-50
Murgg
-100
Anterior Rhine Alpine Rhine
Kinzig
Rhinechainage (km)
Ill
gauge tributary
Ilanz
0
Diepoldsau p Lake k Constancce
500
900
Rhine Delta
Water volumes and seasonal distribution Mountains are often described as the water towers of the lower-lying regions. This is certainly true of the Alps. As higher regions experience more precipitation, the mountainous headwaters exhibit higher runoff rates in comparison to less elevated reaches. By the time the river Rhine reaches its estuary and drains into the North Sea, still almost half of the waters it is carrying are of Alpine origin. The seasonal distribution of water volume is also influenced by the prevalent conditions in the mountains: most wintertime precipitation falls in the form of snow, which does not reach the rivers until spring or even summer in the form of meltwater. The summertime runoff peak is particularly noticeable in glaciated catchments. Long rivers like the Rhine and the Danube provide a good demonstration of how these peaks become less explicit with increasing distance from the Alps.
Solid matter Rivers do not only deliver water (sometime in the form of floods) to the lower reaches but also solids of all sizes: very fine suspended particles, such as those from glacial abrasion, which cause the typical grey colouration of glacial rivers, as well as larger size solids, like sand or pebbles. That which is carried away from the mountains will be deposited further downstream where the gradient is less steep. One extreme example for sedimentation occurring in the lower reaches of
Relative seasonal variation of discharge of Alpine Rhine (gauge station Ilanz CH), Upper Rhine (Basel CH), Middle Rhine (Worms DE) and Lower Rhine (Lobith NL); data series 1951-2000; (data source: Belz et al. 2007)
~ Introduction: 1.1 Rivers in the Alps – Rivers from the Alps
19
River landscape without river: The stony steppe of La Crau, Provence - Alpes - Côte d‘Azur
a river is the stony plain of the Crau near Arles in Southern France. Here, the river Durance has, over the course of tens of thousands of years, deposited material from the Alps in an alluvial fan, eventually blocking its own path to its mouth, so that the Durance now empties westwards into the Rhône. The rough sediments of the Crau provide very poor soil conditions for agricultural use, which has therefore been limited to extensive pasturing for many centuries. Nowadays, the Crau has become a refuge for many animals and plants adapted to aridity.
Flora and fauna Not all material carried downstream by the waters is dead; it also includes germinable seeds of Alpine plants as well as the branches of trees and shrubs that can take root in river bank sediments. Such ‘dealpine’ populations can inhabit locations in lower altitudes, where their chances for permanent survival under normal conditions of competition without supply from upstream reaches would be limited. Many fish species in the Alpine region spawn in the rivers‘ upper reaches. Adult fish travel upstream to deposit their eggs;
20
larvae and juvenile fish return to the lower reaches with the flow. The largest fish species of the Alpine region, the Danube salmon (Hucho hucho), relies on an intact river network. The total stock of this endangered species can only survive in the long-term as long as they are offered sufficient migratory opportunities among the streams and rivers of the Alps and their foothills. The examples listed here demonstrate that it is not possible to clearly delineate where a river can be defined as an Alpine river and where not. Each of these aspects rests on different spheres of influence, which are furthermore subject to a variety of definitions based on the respective discipline.
Definition within this book All of the above demonstrates that the term ‘Alpine river’ cannot so easily be given a universal definition. The two different approaches – ‘rivers in the Alps’ or ‘rivers from the Alps’ – each have their challenges. This book nevertheless needs firm ground. The editors have therefore decided to use the boundaries of the Alpine Convention as their point of reference for most map depictions, balances, etc. This decision was a
The Mountain avens (Dryas octopetala) as dealpine pioneer plant on the banks of the Lech river in Tyrol at 900 metres altitude
pragmatic one: many data sets that have been compiled in the frame of international cooperation projects and which create the basis for our depictions refer to these limits, even if the demarcation is not without weaknesses. We have made one exception: although the Danube forms the border of the Alpine Convention region for the stretch of a few kilometres, it appeared to be of little use to include this river in the studies merely because of this short stretch; it goes beyond our scope in size alone. Our commitment to the borders of the Alpine Convention pertains only to comprehensive depictions and accounts. Individual river portraits and detailed descriptions of given circumstances will repeatedly refer to the situations in the lower reaches outside of the area marked by the Alpine Convention.
References: Bätzing, W., 2005. Die Alpen - Geschichte und Zukunft einer europäischen Kulturlandschaft. Munich, Beck. Belz, J., et al., 2007. Das Abflussregime des Rheins und seiner Nebenflüsse im 20. Jahrhundert. Bericht I-22 der Internationalen Kommission für die Hydrologie des Rheingebietes. online: https://www.chr-khr.org/ sites/default/files/chrpublications/rapport_i_-_22.pdf Körner, C., et al., 2017. A global inventory of mountains for bio-geographical applications. Alpine Botany 127(1), 1-15. Leimgruber, W., 2003. Alpine Kultur: Konstanz und Wandel eines Begriffs. Kulturelle Diversität im Alpenraum. Schweizerische Akademie der Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften. Bern, 53-67. Mathieu, J., 2015. Die Alpen: Raum - Kultur - Geschichte, Philipp Reclam Jun. Pfiffner, O.A., 2015. Geologie der Alpen. Bern, Haupt. Salsa, A., 2009. Il tramonto delle identità tradizionali spaesamento e disagio esistenziale nelle Alpi. Scarmagno (Torino), Priuli & Verlucca. Veit, H., 2002. Die Alpen: Geoökologie und Landschaftsentwicklung. Stuttgart, E. Ulmer. Vogt, J., et al., 2007. A pan-European River and Catchment Database. Luxemburg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
~ Introduction: 1.1 Rivers in the Alps – Rivers from the Alps
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Authors
Angelika Abderhalden-Raba Fundaziun Pro Terra Engiadina Zernez, Switzerland
Julia Brändle WWF Switzerland Zurich, Switzerland
Johann Aigner University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research Vienna, Austria
Mario F. Broggi Bristol Foundation Triesen, Liechtenstein
Fanny Arnaud University of Lyon École Normale Supérieure de Lyon CNRS / Environnement, Ville, Société Lyon, France
Matthias Buchecker Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL Social Sciences in Landscape Research Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Hugo Aschwanden Formerly: Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) Bern, Switzerland
Roberto Buffi Consulting Agency Silvaforum Contra, Switzerland
Renate Becsi University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Irene Bühlmann H2Ocevar GmbH Bauma, Switzerland
Philippe Belleudy University Grenoble Alpes Institute of Environmental Geosciences Grenoble, France
Benoît Camenen IRSTEA Research Unit RiverLy Villeurbanne, France
Walter Bertoldi University of Trento, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering Trento, Italy
Margot Chapuis University Côte d’Azur CNRS, ESPACE Nice, France
Walter Binder Formerly: Bavarian State Office for the Environment Augsburg Augsburg, Germany
Francesco Comiti Free University of Bolzano Faculty of Science and Technology Bolzano, Italy
Lukas Blasel Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Geography and Geoecology Karlsruhe,Germany
Marylise Cottet University of Lyon École Normale Supérieure de Lyon CNRS / Environnement, Ville, Société Lyon, France
Bruno Boz Italian Centre for River Restoration Venice, Italy
Gregor Degasperi Freelance biologist Innsbruck, Austria
~ Authors
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Oscar del Barba Architect and urban planner Morbegno, Italy
Matthias Gattermayr REVITAL Integrative Environmental Planning GmbH Nußdorf-Debant, Austria
Emil Dister Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Geography and Geoecology Department of Wetland Ecology Rastatt, Germany
Lars Gerstner Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Geography and Geoecology Department of Wetland Ecology Rastatt, Germany
Florian Dossi University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Peter Gisler Cantonal office of Civil Engeneering Uri Altdorf, Switzerland
Cornel Doswald Expert for historical transport routes Bremgarten AG, Switzerland
Wolfram Graf University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Anton Drescher Karl-Franzens University Graz Institute of Biology Graz, Austria
Lena Gräßer Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Geography and Geoecology Karlsruhe, Germany
Franz Essl University of Vienna, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Vienna, Austria
Franz Greimel University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Adrian Fahrni Office of Civil Engineering Canton Bern Bern, Switzerland
Clemens Gumpinger blattfisch e.U. Wels, Austria
Chrystel Fermond Syndicat mixte de la rivière Drôme et ses affluents Saillans, France
Stefan Guttmann Association ‘Save the Ybbs-Grayling’ Opponitz, Austria
Markus Fiebig University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Institute of Applied Geology Vienna, Austria
Helmut Habersack University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research Vienna, Austria
Stefan Flury Formerly: Cantonal office of Civil Engineering Uri Altdorf, Switzerland
Marija Habinc Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning Slovenian Water Agency Sustainable River Engineering Department Ljubljana, Slovenia
Josef Fürst University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute for Hydrology and Water Management Vienna, Austria
Gertrud Haidvogl University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Marlene Haimann University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research Vienna, Austria
Walter Hopfgartner Provincial Government of Tyrol District Construction Authority Department of Water Management Lienz, Austria
Anne Hartmann University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Mojca Hrovat Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Slovenian Water Agency, Water Protection and Water Use Department Ljubljana, Slovenia
Christoph Hauer University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research Vienna, Austria
Roni Hunziker Hunziker, Zarn & Partner Aarau, Switzerland
Stefan Haun University of Stuttgart Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems Stuttgart, Germany
Lukas Hunzinger Flussbau AG SAH Bern, Switzerland Isabell Juszczyk Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Geography and Geoecology Department of Wetland Ecology Rastatt, Germany
Georg Heim GEOTEST Zollikofen, Switzerland
Thomas Herrmann Landschaft + Plan Passau Neuburg a. Inn, Germany
Simon Kistler University of Bern Institute of Germanic Languages and Literatures Research Unit for Onomastics, Bern, Switzerland
Sandra Hocevar H2Ocevar GmbH Bauma, Switzerland
Mario Klösch University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research Vienna, Austria
Karin Hochegger Management of European Protected Areas in Styria, Liezen Liezen, Austria
Friedrich Knopper University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning Vienna, Austria
Severin Hohensinner University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Berit Köhler Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) Lillehammer, Norway
Werner E. Holzinger ÖKOTEAM – Institute of Animal Ecology and Landscape Planning / Karl-Franzens University Graz, Institute of Biology Graz, Austria
Christian Komposch ÖKOTEAM – Institute of Animal Ecology and Landscape Planning / University of Graz, Institute of Biology Graz, Austria
Wolfgang Honsig-Erlenburg Carinthian State Office, Department of Environment, Energy and Conservation Klagenfurt, Austria
Michael Koschat Secondary-school teacher in Spittal a.d. Drau Historian Spittal a.d. Drau / St. Jakob i. Rosental, Austria
~ Authors
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508
Jurij Krajčič Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Slovenian Water Agency Ljubljana, Slovenia
Michael Mark Secondary-teacher in Spittal a.d. Drau Founder of ‘Citizen Initiative Drautal’ Spittal a.d. Drau, Austria
Monika Kropej Telban Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts Institute of Slovenian Ethnology Ljubljana, Slovenia
Birgit Mark-Stöhr Freelance nature educator and landscape ecologist Spittal a.d. Drau, Austria
Werner Krupitz ARTENreich OG Hallein, Austria
Peter Matt Vorarlberger Illwerke AG / Österreichs Energie WFD-group / ÖWAV, Division Hydraulic Engineering, Bioengineering and Ecology Bregenz, Austria
Helmut Kudrnovsky Ecologist Vienna / Tyrol, Austria
Andreas Meraner Autonomous Province of Bolzano – Alto Adige South Tyrolean Administration, Department of Forestry, Hunting and Fisheries Office Bolzano, Italy
Patrick Leitner University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Klaus Michor REVITAL Integrative Environmental Planning GmbH Nußdorf-Debant, Austria
Barbara Leuthold Hasler BERG & NATUR, Illnau, Switzerland On behalf of the Cantonal Office of Spatial Development Uri Altdorf, Switzerland
Robert Michor Religious education, psychotherapist Güssing, Austria
Frédéric Liebault University Grenoble Alpes IRSTEA Research Unit ETNA Grenoble, France
Christian Moritz ARGE Limnologie GmbH Innsbruck, Austria
Marcel Liedermann University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research Vienna, Austria
Willy Mueller Office for Agriculture and Nature Fisheries Inspectorate Revitalisation Fund Münsingen, Switzerland
Verena Lubini Office for Aquatic Ecology Zurich, Switzerland
Pascal Mulattieri Biol’Eau Sàrl Bernex, Switzerland
Fabio Luino Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto di Ricerca per Protezione Idrogeologica Turin, Italy
Norbert Müller University of Applied Sciences Erfurt, Department Landscape Management and Restoration Ecology Erfurt, Germany
Andrea Mammoliti Mochet ARPA Valle d‘Aosta St. Christophe, Italy
Hannelore Nenning Academic painter and graphic artist Atelier Nenning Nussdorf, Austria
Markus Noack University of Applied Sciences Karlsruhe Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering Hydraulic Laboratory Karlsruhe, Germany
Tino Reinecke Swiss Canoe Federation (SCF) Zurich, Switzerland
Clémence Perrin-Malterre University Savoie Mont Blanc EDYTEM lab Chambéry, France
Petra Repnik Mah Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning Slovenian Water Agency, Development and Planning Division Ljubljana, Slovenia
Claire Petitjean Syndicat mixte de la rivière Drôme et ses affluents Saillans, France
Christine Resch apodemus – Private Institute for Wildlife Biology Haus i. Ennstal, Austria
Jürgen Petutschnig eb&p Environmental Office GmbH Klagenfurt, Austria
Stefan Resch apodemus – Private Institute for Wildlife Biology Haus i. Ennstal, Austria
Hervé Piégay University of Lyon École Normale Supérieure de Lyon CNRS / Environnement, Ville, Société Lyon, France
Wolfgang Retter Society ‘Recreational Landscape East Tyrol’ Lienz, Austria
Otto Pirker VERBUND AG Vienna, Austria
Jérémie Riquier University of Lyon University Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne Saint-Etienne, France
Didier Pont University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Christian Roulier CSD Engineers SA Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland
Patrice Prunier HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, Geneva School of Engineering, Architecture and Landscape Jussy, Switzerland
Paolo Sala Water Research Institute IRSA – CNR Verbania, Italy
Christian Ragger REVITAL Integrative Environmental Planning GmbH Nußdorf-Debant, Austria
Sašo Šantl Institute of Water of the Republic of Slovenia Ljubljana, Slovenia
Clemens Ratschan ezb / TB Zauner GmbH Technical Office for Applied Aquatic Ecology and Fisheries Management Engelhartszell, Austria
Alma Sartoris Parco del Piano di Magadino Gudo, Switzerland
Michael Reich Leibniz University Hannover Institute of Environmental Planning Hannover, Germany
Sigrid Scheikl University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
~ Authors
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Rafaela Schinegger University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Carina Seliger University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Martin Schletterer TIWAG-Tiroler Wasserkraft AG Innsbruck, Austria
Philipp Sicher Swiss Fishing Federation Bern, Switzerland
Hans Schmid Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach, Switzerland
Nataša Smolar Žvanut Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Slovenian Water Agency, Development and Planning Division Ljubljana, Slovenia
Stefan Schmutz University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Lukas Stadtherr Switzerland Mobility / EuroVelo Council Bern, Switzerland / Brussels, Belgium
Erika Schneider Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Geography and Geoecology, Department of Wetland Ecology Rastatt, Germany
Saša Starec Ljubljana, Slovenia
Thomas Franz Schneider University of Bern Institute of Germanic Languages and Literatures Research Unit for Onomastics, Bern, Switzerland
Nicola Surian University of Padova Department of Geosciences Padova, Italy
Stefan Schneiderbauer Office of the Upper Austrian Government Department of Water Management Water Management Planning Unit Linz, Austria
Erich Tasser Eurac Research Institute for Alpine Environment Bozen / Bolzano, Italy
Bernhard Schober University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research Vienna, Austria
Helmut Tiefenthaler Bregenz, Austria
Rosa Schönle Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Geography and Geoecology Karlsruhe, Germany
Franz Überwimmer Office of the Upper Austrian Government Department of Water Management Water Management Planning Unit Linz, Austria
Dirk Schroer Hunziker, Zarn & Partner Aarau, Switzerland
Günther Unfer University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Karsten Schulz University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute for Hydrology and Water Management Vienna, Austria
Pietro Volta Water Research Institute IRSA – CNR Verbania, Italy
Beatrice Wagner University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research Vienna, Austria
Claudia Zaugg AQUARIUS Fischerei- und Umweltbiologie GmbH Schnottwil, Switzerland
Thomas Wagner Technical University of Munich Chair for Restoration Ecology Freising, Germany
Aude Zingraff-Hamed Technical University of Munich Chair for Strategic Landscape Planning and Management Freising, Germany
Liliane Waldner Formerly: Cantonal Council www.uss-frau.ch Zurich, Switzerland
Alisa Zittel Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Geography and Geoecology Karlsruhe, Germany
Irene Weinberger Quadrapoda Bern, Switzerland
Guido Zolezzi University of Trento Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering Trento, Italy
Rolf Weingartner University of Bern Institute of Geography Bern, Switzerland
Raffaella Zorza Regional Environmental Protection Agency of Friuli Venezia Guilia Palmanova, Italy
Franziska Witschi naturaqua PBK AG Bern, Switzerland
Žiga Zwitter University of Ljubljana Faculty of Arts, Department of History Ljubljana, Slovenia
~ Authors
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Project team Some members of the project team have also contributed as authors to this book. Editors: Susanna Muhar University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Andreas Muhar University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning Vienna, Austria
Gregory Egger Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Geography and Geoecology Department of Wetland Ecology Rastatt, Germany
Dominik Siegrist University of Applied Sciences, Rapperswil Rapperswil, Switzerland
Project team at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria: Kerstin Böck Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management
Georg Bautz Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management
Michelle Reischl Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning
Kim Ressar Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning
Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management
Lisa Reiss Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management
Olivia Wilfling Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management
Nicole Trummer Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning
Translation and Editing: Nadežda Kinsky Müngersdorff www.wordsmithery.at Vienna, Austria
Daniel S. Hayes University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management Vienna, Austria
Kim Meyer-Cech www.englischtrainerin.at Gumpoldskirchen, Austria
Christian Hlavac GALATOUR - Zentrum für Garten, Landschaft und Tourismus Vienna, Austria
Image editing: Matthias Neumann studio.vonMatthias.de Berlin, Germany
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