News
This month three restoration measures of LIFE RESTORE for MDD have been started in Slovenia along the Mura river. At the Gradišče oxbow, the Benica side channel and Konjišče, the Slovenian Water Agency, the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, and Slovenian State Forests Ltd. are taking an important step towards improving water conditions, strengthening floodplain forests and restoring floodplain connectivity.
At the Gradišče oxbow, preparations are underway for the restoration of a 350-metre-long, 15-metre-wide section. Due to decades of overgrowth and sediment accumulation, the oxbow has largely lost its aquatic character and ecological function. Planned measures include the selective removal of shrubs and trees along the margins of the oxbow and the removal of accumulated sediments, which will enable the area to retain water once again. In the coming weeks, extensive earthworks will be carried out, with around 6,700 m³ of material to be excavated.
Along the nearly two-kilometre-long Benica side channel, restoration has already entered the construction phase. Earthworks are underway along a 205-metre section, focusing on sediment removal and deepening the inflow and initial part of the channel. Sediment build-up has significantly restricted water inflow in recent years, but these measures will restore the water supply from the Mura, even at lower levels. Consequently, water conditions within the channel and the surrounding floodplain forests will improve, thereby strengthening the connection between the river and its floodplain.
At the third site, Konjišče, the focus of the work is on widening the riverbed of the Mura. This involves removing the existing riverbank protection along a 1,100-metre stretch and relocating it further inland for use as passive protection. By providing the river with more space, it will be able to spread and reshape its channel more naturally over the long term, leading to improved hydromorphological conditions.
Together, these measures are part of the 29 restoration measures planned within the LIFE RESTORE for MDD project and represent the start of full-scale implementation along the Mura in Slovenia.