Joint efforts to improve water management in the Czech-Austrian Dyje/Thaya catchment area by identifying emission pathways of water pollution

Duration:
2026–2029

Financing:
Interreg Czech Republic – Austria 2021–2027
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management

National partners:

Research Unit of Engineering Hydrology and Water Resources Management, TU Wien
International partners:
T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute (TGM WRI)

Contact Person:
Ottavia Zoboli

Project staff:
Ottavia Zoboli, Matthias Zessner, Elsa Eder, Vincent Idel, Meiqi Liu

Brief information on the project

The project focuses on improving water pollution control in the Czech-Austrian Thaya river catchment area. The aim is to achieve an efficient cross-border exchange of data and knowledge, to identify sources of water pollution and to lay the foundations for sustainable water protection.

The project addresses common challenges in the Thaya catchment area, where the water balance is particularly vulnerable due to low rainfall and the extreme impacts of climate change. Droughts and heavy rainfall place a considerable strain on water resources, and low discharge rates exacerbate water pollution and thus the risk of failing to meet water quality targets. High levels of nitrate, inorganic salts and phosphorus have been detected in various sections of the Thaya. Organic trace substances such as PFAS are currently receiving increasing attention. The existing problems cannot be solved in isolation, as the transport of pollutants and climatic influences extend beyond national borders. Cross-border cooperation is therefore essential.

The expected outcome is enhanced cooperation between the Czech Republic and Austria, as well as the provision of new tools for water quality management for key institutions. The Czech-Austrian Commission for Transboundary Waters will be provided with a scientifically sound basis for coordinated water management. Specifically, the project will deliver four key outcomes: (i) a joint Czech–Austrian programme for water monitoring, data analysis and visualisation; (ii) a fully implemented and validated transboundary emissions model for analysing the sources and risks of selected substances in the Thaya catchment area; (iii) the application of the emission model to a range of scenarios relating to climatic and socio-economic changes, changes in land use, measures to reduce pollution, and flow regulation through the operation of reservoirs and weirs; and based on that (iv) a joint strategy for water protection in the Thaya catchment area.