News
Shortly after the first three completed restoration sites along the Mura in Slovenia, LIFE RESTORE for MDD is continuing with the next completed measure: on the Austrian side, the Office of the Styrian Government, Department 14 Water Management, Resources and Sustainability has successfully completed the optimisation of the inlet area of the Mühlbach along the Border Mura.
The 29-kilometre-long Mühlbach was originally created in the 19th century to supply mills and sawmills. Today, it plays an important ecological role for the surrounding floodplain forests and contributes to groundwater recharge in the region. However, as the Border Mura has deepened over time, water inflow from the river into the Mühlbach had become increasingly limited, especially during low-water periods. This affected not only the watercourse itself, but also the connected floodplain forest system.
To improve the situation, the inlet area was adapted so that more water can flow from the Mura into the Mühlbach again. An existing spur in the river was extended 48 metres upstream, helping to raise the water level near the inlet. A key part of the measure was to reduce future sediment build-up at the inlet. Guiding elements were installed to direct sediment away from the inflow area, while a flushing channel was opened along the bank slope to help remove sediment in a controlled way. Together, these adaptations improve the long-term functionality of the inlet and help secure a more stable water supply for the Mühlbach.
And the first effects are already measurable: at the Mühlbach gauge in Mureck, the water flow has more than doubled compared to October, under almost identical discharge conditions in the Mura. This shows that the measure is already improving the connection between the Mura and the Mühlbach only a few weeks after completion.
→ Find more details in the Mühlbach factsheet.
With this first completed Austrian measure, LIFE RESTORE for MDD is strengthening the ecological quality of the floodplain forest system and supporting groundwater resources along the Border Mura. Further restoration work on the Austrian side will continue with the widening of the Sulzbach mouth and the extension of the Drauchenbach.