Too little rain and snow reduce the water level of Lake Wolfgang. The ships can no longer create in Strobl. However, the lake cannot be thawed because otherwise operators of power plants would have too little water.
The functioning of the five ships on Lake Wolfgang is limited. The boats cannot currently be made in Strobl. Because: the water level is too low. The extreme dry winter is the culprit. Neither rain nor the melting of snow have filled the famous lake in recent months. Not the first time: “We have not had a real winter in recent years,” says mayor Harald Humer (Spö) Strobler. This year it is very extreme.
In Strobl a remedy must therefore be remedied and a gutter must be towed to the jetty to get more room for the future. One thing is clear: if the shipment is limited, there is a loss of important tourism in the region.
But not only shipping depends on the complex water network of Lake Wolfgang. There are hydroelectric power stations on the Ischl that need sufficient drain from the lake to generate energy. “There are many interests to take into account,” Humer said. The weir for the drain is located in Strobl. The level can also be checked. But: if you release little water, the power plants will have problems. If you build up for too long and there are heavy rainfall, floods are the result.
The Seegemeinden St. Gilgen, Strobl and St. Wolfgang therefore want to view the entire system up close.
Simulations must provide new knowledge
“We look at what changes in control are possible,” Humer explains. Simulation calculations must provide precise information about the possibilities and effects. The entire weir system is currently automatically regulated. “We have to find compromises that are compatible for everyone,” said the local chef. In the ideal case, the lake would have enough water for the use of tourists and the operators of the power stations for generating electricity.
Glaciers have little influence on electricity
Don’t worry about generating electricity, the domestic producers go along the Salzach, even when the glaciers go back further. A study from 2023 calculated that the glacier melts throughout the entire basin of Inn and Salzach only contributes slightly, with values of less than one percent, to the entire annual drainage. Due to the many intake, the fluctuations are not too large, especially with the large power plants downstream in the Salzach. In the summer, solar energy and wind compensate for the lower amounts of water.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
