After Muren: Expert opinion relieves chalet project
environment
The luxury chalet project at Pass Thurn near Mittersill is not responsible for the heavy mudslides in Hollersbach (both Pinzgau) – this is the conclusion reached by an independent expert from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences. A farmer from Mittersill had criticized that the construction project would favor mudslides.
The allegations from affected farmers weighed heavily – after the heavy rain at the end of July, residents criticized that building structures at high altitudes with hotels and chalets would increase mudslides and flooding.
A Mittersill farmer, whose farm and directly below the chalet construction site, and whose property was full of mud and gravel after the storm, saw a connection with the current major construction site and accused the investors that the areas supposedly cleared for the construction were debris flows would favor. One of the points of criticism was that the water now shoots over the open area onto the buildings below during heavy rain.
“No negative impact on water runoff”
The experts from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences now state in their report that no forest was cleared for the construction project and that clearing could not have been responsible for a mudslide. In general, according to the experts, the construction of the luxury chalet project at Pass Thurn would in no way have a negative impact on the water runoff.
Hollersbach: Protective construction work is now starting again
The construction of the protective measures can thus start again in Hollersbach in its entirety. After criticism from residents arose, the state councilor responsible for water management, Josef Schwaiger (ÖVP), had the construction work limited to the bare essentials because of the lack of clarity about who was to blame. He did not want to use public funds for possible mistakes from the private sector.
New retention basins proved their worth on Monday evening
Since the heavy rain at the end of July, two retention basins have already been built in Hollersbach, which proved their worth in the recent storm on Monday evening, says Gebhard Neumayr from the torrent and avalanche control. Further retention basins and filter structures are now being built once the report is available. In the meantime, the necessary water cooperative has been founded in the Pinzgau community.