Poppichl Flood Protection

On October 29, 2025, the new Poppichl flood protection system was officially inaugurated. This closes a major gap in flood protection in the north of the provincial capital of Klagenfurt. The severe flooding in 2023 clearly demonstrated how urgently structural protective measures were needed in this area.

A total of 35 properties along the Glan River in the market town of Maria Saal and in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee have now been protected against an HQ100 event. The core element of the project is a 1.40 km-long exposed-concrete wall, complemented by targeted measures at seven key locations where properties could be “reclaimed” and secured.

Particular challenges included the high groundwater levels near the river as well as the removal and replacement of a 250 m-long DN 500 asbestos-cement water main. This pipeline is one of three main supply lines for the city of Klagenfurt. In addition, the prolonged hot days in June 2025—with peak temperatures of up to 37.9°C (measured by GeoSphere Austria on June 26, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. CEST)—placed significant demands on the construction work.

All work was carried out using the Tiefbau Unterkärnten Group’s own personnel and equipment under the supervision of site manager Günther Gfrerer. Gfrerer states: “A big compliment to our outstanding site team, who succeeded in delivering this masterpiece of exposed-concrete walls. The additional praise from the public sector underscores the quality of our work.”

This project marks another important step in actively addressing the impacts of climate change and strengthening long-term protection against natural hazards in the region.