Case study:Conservation strategies for forest and wild river in Gesaeuse: the Johnsbach Beck restoration

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Location: 47° 34' 37.01" N, 14° 35' 20.30" E

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Project overview

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Status	Complete
Project web site	http://www.nationalpark.co.at/nationalpark/de/life.php?navid=102
Themes	Habitat and biodiversity, Hydromorphology, Monitoring, Social benefits
Country	Austria
Main contact forename	Daniel
Main contact surname	Kreiner
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation	Gesäuse National Park
Contact organisation web site	http://www.nationalpark.co.at/nationalpark/de/life.php
Partner organisations
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects

Project picture

Project summary

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The River Johnsbach, a tributary to the River Enns, was heavily regulated and deprived of biological and hydromorphological diversity. Of particular concern was the inability of fishes to overcome the high concrete structures and the spawning habitat shortage all along the river corridor. Part of the LIFE+ multi-site project for the restoration of the River Enns and its surrounding ecosystems was delivered in the Johnsbach Brook. The works targeted a stretch of several kilometres, were bank reinforcement structures were take-off and the mouth of the river was ecologically enhanced (i.e. gravel banks, etc.). Restoration outcomes are positive overall. In particular, fish are now able to migrate and greater habitat diversity significantly supports in-site species populations (i.e. Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)). However there is still a technical problem related with the adjustment of the river slope and the high steps imposed by old sills. There is a deficit of dynamic gravel resulting from the long-lasting excavation in the Johnsbach valle. Overtime, changing erosion processes as well as variable flooding will continually modify the site while the river network is regaining its natural functionality.

The River Restoration Centre would like to thank Daniel Kreiner from the Gesäuse National Park for providing the information and photographs for this case study.

Monitoring surveys and results

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Catchment and subcatchment

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Catchment

River basin district	Danube
River basin	Enns

Subcatchment

River name	Enns
Area category
Area (km2)	60846,084 km² <br />608,400 ha <br />
Maximum altitude category
Maximum altitude (m)	27112,711 m <br />2.711 km <br />271,100 cm <br />
Dominant geology	Central Eastern Alps
Ecoregion	Alps
Dominant land cover
Waterbody ID

Other case studies in this subcatchment: Conservation strategies for forest and wild river in Gesaeuse: the River Enns restoration, LIFE IP IRIS Enns Mandling Restoration

Site

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Name
WFD water body codes
WFD (national) typology
WFD water body name	River Johnsbach
Pre-project morphology
Reference morphology
Desired post project morphology
Heavily modified water body	No
National/international site designation	Austria - Nationalpark
Local/regional site designations	Natura 2000, National Park
Protected species present	Yes
Invasive species present	Yes
Species of interest	Alcedo atthis, Bombina variegata, Bonasa bonasia, Cottus gobio, Cypripedium calceolus, Dendrocopos leucotos, Eudontomyzon spp., Ficedula parva, Leuciscus souffia, Lutra lutra, Picoides tridactylus, Picus canus, Rosalia alpina, Tetrao tetrix tetrix, Tetrao urogallus
Dominant hydrology
Dominant substrate
River corridor land use
Average bankfull channel width category
Average bankfull channel width (m)
Average bankfull channel depth category
Average bankfull channel depth (m)
Mean discharge category
Mean annual discharge (m3/s)
Average channel gradient category
Average channel gradient
Average unit stream power (W/m2)

Project background

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Reach length directly affected (m)
Project started	2005/02/01
Works started
Works completed
Project completed	2011/08/01
Total cost category
Total cost (k€)	2,363.2062,363.206 k€ <br />2,363,206 € <br />
Benefit to cost ratio
Funding sources	EU LIFE III

Cost for project phases

Phase	cost category	cost exact (k€)	Lead organisation	Contact forename	Contact surname
Investigation and design
Stakeholder engagement and communication
Works and works supervision
Post-project management and maintenance
Monitoring

Supplementary funding information

Total budget 2,363,206.00 € EU contribution 1,181,603.00 €

Reasons for river restoration

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Mitigation of a pressure	Regulation of water courses, intensive forestry practices, tourism, traffic
Hydromorphology
Biology
Physico-chemical
Other reasons for the project

Measures

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Structural measures
Bank/bed modifications	Bank reinforcement structures removed, Gravel banks reintroduced
Floodplain / River corridor
Planform / Channel pattern
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Non-structural measures
Management interventions
Social measures (incl. engagement)
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Monitoring

Hydromorphological quality elements

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quality elements

Element	When monitored		Type of monitoring		Control site used	Result
	Before measures	After measures	Qualitative	Quantitative

Biological quality elements

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quality elements

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Physico-chemical quality elements

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quality elements

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Any other monitoring, e.g. social, economic

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Element	When monitored		Type of monitoring		Control site used	Result
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Monitoring documents

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Image gallery

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Additional documents and videos

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Additional links and references

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Link	Description
http://www.nationalpark.co.at/nationalpark/de/life-gewaesser-johnsbach.php	Gesäuse National Park (2008) Revitalisierung "Johnsbach" 2006-2010 (Partnerprojekt)
http://http://www.nationalpark.co.at/nationalpark/de/life.ph	Life-Project: Conservation strategies for forest and wild river in Gesaeuse

Supplementary Information

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