The power station Wiestal shall feed the minimum flow requirement of 4,100 litres per second from August to April, and of 4,600 litres per second from May to July. "We have already reached an agreement on these amounts with the power station operator," says Raus. He expects the Supreme Water Authority to terminate the negotiations in due time. The increase of the minimum flow for the power station Wiestal has to come with surge attenuation and a permanent feeding of the Almbach in the city area of Hallein. The problem, however, are the power plants along the Puchhammerkanal, which can completely drain the residual water at the Kieferwehr.
After the procedure under the Water Law, Provincial Councillor Dr. Othmar Raus will order the District Government of Hallein , which is the responsible authority, to set by definite decision a permanent minimum flow for the Kieferwehr in the Almbach. This would rehabilitate the Wiestal Alp in an ecological way.
The Water Act Amendment 2003 has stipulated stricter requirements as to the ecological minimum standard of waters to be achieved. The power station Wiestal, which has applied for a regranting of water rights, but also the power stations along the Puchhammerkanal, have since been forced to make concessions with regard to a balanced water ecology.
In addition to a permanent minimum flow through the Wiestal Alp, Raus calls for an efficient surge attenuation in the Almbach and a spacious eco-region with a largely constant water level in the headrace area of the Wiestal reservoir to revitalise the fish stock.
