Development of the Danube between Straubing (lock) and Bogen (Railway bridge)

ongoing

The project comprises necessary tasks for the development of the German federal waterway Danube between the existing lock Straubing and the railway bridge Bogen. This project is the first part of the global project “Development of the Danube between Straubing and Vilshofen”, intending to improve shipping conditions as well as flood protection. The Danube section between Straubing and Vilshofen in Lower Bavaria is the major bottleneck on the whole Trans-European Rhine/Meuse-Main-Danube inland waterway axis in particular with regard to maximum possible draught (the weight-induced submersion depth of a vessel). Based on an EU-funded study (cf. 2007-DE-18050-S: ‘Independent variant research on the development of the Danube between Straubing and Vilshofen, 2013‘) the Federal Government of Germany and the Free State of Bavaria jointly decided to develop the free flowing section from Straubing to Vilshofen according to variant A by implementing solely river regulation measures (i.e. without lock/storage/impounding). Objective of the current project is to increase fairway depth between lock Straubing and railway bridge Bogen by 6.5 dm at a defined low navigable water level (RNW) combining dredging works with riverbed protection measures. Additionally, the port Straubing-Sand will be adapted to the new shipping conditions. The project includes all technical measures, all landscape management measures to compensate the incurred ecological impacts, preparatory and auxiliary works, such as pre-construction engineering, site set-up, surveying works, and the removal of explosive ordnance from World War 2. Main objective of the project is to increase possible ship load due to a raised draught. Furthermore the project will have further beneficial side effects on fairway maintenance, necessary sediment management (less progressive riverbed erosion), and safety and ease of shipping (reduction of nautical difficulties). As a result of the port adaption, both the interoperability and the transport capacity (better adjustment to changing water levels) for this river segment are further increased.