In order to clarify engineering issues in a natural environment, a pilot project will be carried out on a river section of almost 3 km near Bad Deutsch Altenburg (river km 1887.5 – 1884.5). The measures to be realised along this stretch comprise all measures planned within the framework of the Integrated River Engineering Project, i.e. measures aiming at granulometric river bed improvement, innovative low water regulation, riverbank renaturation and waterway linkage (connection of the Johler side arm).

Engineering issues shall be clarified by means of observing and detailing implementation measures. The pilot project is accompanied by a comprehensive evidence preservation programme designed to demonstrate that the project does not entail any unintentional side effects. 

Accompanying research done in the course of the pilot project

A team of experts from various disciplines elaborated a comprehensive concept to scientifically accompany testing. This concept is currently being realised step by step. Upon the assignment by via donau, it was prepared by a think tank of members from the University of Vienna's Department of Limnology and Hydrobotany (Faculty of Life Sciences), the Vienna University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences' Institute of Water Management, Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering as well as specialists from the Vienna University of Technology (groundwater) and the Danube Floodplain National Park. As a consequence, a significant amount of research and development work is done in the course of the project which shall among others entail the elaboration of innovative research methods and models.

The project's research approach relies on sectoral and expert group-specific measurements and surveys (survey programme), which are consequently subjected to interdisciplinary "integrated" analysis and assessment. To facilitate integrated processing as well as the definition of sensible data interfaces, expert teams have also agreed on measurement sites and times.

Integrated processing is above all characterised by the fact that the results obtained in pilot testing are subjected to an interdisciplinary analysis by all expert teams in order to optimise river engineering measures set within the framework of the Integrated River Engineering Programme.