Resumee Preliminary Study Pielach
A conversation with Mag. Johann Nesweda, Federal State Lower Austria.
What was the focus of the preliminary study?
The focus of the preliminary study was on the collection, analysis and evaluation of existing relevant data. Regarding flood risk management, the focus was on the aspects of discharge investigation and sediment balance; regarding river development, hydromorphology and the biological quality elements were of particular interest; on the topic of planning framework conditions, we investigated what data already existed with regard to water rights, nature conservation, spatial planning and recreational function.
What are the important findings of the preliminary study? What does this mean for the GE-RM?
After the existing data had been compiled and evaluated, the data situation was assessed. If there were deficits, a working concept was drawn up for the next step in the GE-RM process – the supplementary inventory.
Summarising, the preliminary study showed that the existing data situation is good in many areas and that additional data only needs to be collected in individual areas for the further planning process.
Inventories can quickly get out of hand. Therefore, it was very important for us to clearly define the framework of the investigation in the preliminary study. After all,only what is actually important to determine the GE-RM programme of measures should be investigated
Outlook and Timeplan
The contract for the GE-RM Pielach was already awarded in 2019 together with the preliminary study. The inventory are currently underway. By autumn 2020, all data relevant for the planning process should be available and prepared in the form of a “crosslinking analysis”. This will be followed by the definition of the sectoral guiding principles. The concept of measures will be available in spring 2021.
“A GE-RM can quickly get out of hand. Therefore, it pays to analyse the existing data in detail so that the framework for additional studies can be kept slim.“