Obere Donau Kraftwerke AG (ODK) has completed a €5.6m project at the Faimingen weir on the Danube that combines upgraded flood protection with new ecological measures, including a 470m fish passage.
The project included reinforcing around 5km of existing flood protection embankments and constructing a near-natural bypass channel to restore fish migration past the weir. Riverbanks were also reshaped to create new habitats, while access to the Danube Cycle Path was improved.
The project was officially inaugurated on July 13 with representatives from government, municipalities, regulatory authorities, fisheries and conservation organisations.
Around €4m of the investment was allocated to the fish passage, with the remaining €1.6m spent on strengthening the flood protection embankments.
The embankments were reinforced using a slit-wise soil replacement method, in which sections of the dike were excavated and refilled with permeable gravel to improve stability and increase resilience to flooding.
Ecological enhancements included the creation of shallow shoreline areas using gravel, stones and deadwood, together with flow-directing structures and small islands designed to provide habitat for fish, amphibians and insects.
The new fish passage bypasses the weir over approximately 470m, allowing native species including huchen, nase, barbel and grayling to move between upstream and downstream sections of the river. The channel includes shallow gravel areas, varied flow conditions and quieter sections intended to support fish migration as well as spawning and feeding habitat.
“With the new fish passage, we are bringing a piece of natural river dynamics back to the Danube,” said Dr. Jörg Franke, Technical Director of ODK. “At the same time, with the dam renovation, we are implementing current technical requirements and making an important contribution to flood protection in the region. The new bank structures will also sustainably improve the living conditions for numerous animal and plant species along the Danube. The measures in Faimingen thus exemplify how hydropower, flood protection, and ecological development can be effectively combined.”
LEW, which operates the power plants on behalf of ODK, managed the planning and construction of the project in coordination with local authorities, fisheries organisations and conservation groups.
“A project of this scale only succeeds when many people pull together,” said project manager Manuel Jurtz. “The close collaboration with Donautal-Aktiv, fisheries, nature conservation, and the local municipalities, in particular, has helped us not only to create a functioning facility but also to further develop the weir in a sustainable way – with tangible added value for nature and the region.”
The fish passage is part of wider work to improve ecological connectivity along the Danube in line with the European Union’s Water Framework Directive. LEW has previously completed similar projects at hydropower plants on the Iller, Günz and Wertach rivers.
ODK said a fish passage has already been completed at the Gundelfingen power plant, with further projects planned at the Leipheim, Günzburg, Offingen and Oberelchingen weirs.
The Faimingen hydropower plant is one of six Danube power stations operated by ODK. Together, the plants generate around 280 million kWh of renewable electricity annually, enough to supply more than 80,000 households, according to the company.
