Border waters: After flooding in Passau, commission met in Schärding

Disagreements in focus: The Border Waters Commission – established by the Regensburg Treaty in 1987 between Austria and Germany – recently met in Schärding. The aim of the Border Waters Commission is, among other things, to deepen cooperation in the area of ​​drainage conditions and to take appropriate account of the water management interests of the contracting parties.

A month ago, the flood situation in Schärding was tense and parts of the flood protection had to be built. While there was no catastrophe in Schärding am Inn, there were major floods in Passau in the area where the Inn flows into the Danube, coupled with accusations against the Austrian side.

Were the water masses at the Inn power plants between Upper Austria and Bavaria from Braunau-Simbach to Schärding-Neuhaus ultimately controlled in such a way that areas on the border river suffered little damage – to the detriment of Passau? This was a key question that was investigated in the Passauer Neue Presse. However, the power plant operator and the local authorities reject the accusations of the Bavarian neighbors as unfounded. According to its own statements, the power plant operator has complied with and implemented the operating regulations and official notices that are intended for such flood situations along its chain of power plants on the Inn.

The barrages on the Inn are not reservoirs that can be used to buffer precipitation on a large scale, but rather river barriers: What arrives must, in principle, be passed on again directly in order to comply with the officially set reservoir targets and to ensure stability and thus flood protection in the area of ​​the facilities themselves.

The local authorities also stress that the provisions of the Regensburg Agreement have been complied with. When it comes to flood protection, the Bavarian side is more responsible – where it is apparently difficult to obtain land for backwater areas.

“Good cooperation and the exchange of information between the regions are crucial for implementing effective flood protection measures and protecting the population from flooding. This contractually agreed cooperation between German and Austrian authorities ensures cross-border cooperation and close cooperation between our regions to coordinate flood protection measures and emergency plans,” said State Councilor Stefan Kaineder, who recently welcomed a German delegation to the Regensburg Treaty in Schärding. There was also a water-related tour of the city, which focused on flood protection and the disaster relief camp.