After 18 years as head of the Rosenheim water management office, Paul Geisenhofer is retiring.
Tobias Hafner is his successor.
District
- When you have been at the head of an office for almost two decades, you experience a lot.
Nobody knows that better than Paul Geisenhofer.
He, now officially the former head of the water management office, could have told a lot at his farewell party on the riverside at the Inn Museum in Rosenheim.
Geisenhofer, who was known among colleagues and superiors for his experience and specialist knowledge, decided to review only a few, albeit large, events.
For example the flood in 2013. “A dramatic experience,” said Geisenhofer.
He remembers well the days and nights he and his staff worked through.
And also to the millions of euros that the office spent on immediate measures after the disaster.
Great joy in the major project in the Mangfall Valley
He was more pleased with the large-scale “Mangfalltal flood protection” project: “That was a great job.” The Feldolling flood retention basin in Feldkirchen-Westerham was created as part of the project.
The basin can hold back more than six and a half million cubic meters of water and thus defuse extreme flood events.
The fact that there was so much public acceptance for this and that ecological measures could also be combined with the building made him particularly proud.
Challenges for the future remain
Despite all the successes - the challenges for the future remain, he said. And they are now approaching his successor. Tobias Hafner worked at the Chair for Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management at the Technical University (TU) in Munich and at the Deggendorf Water Management Office. He later moved to the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment and dealt with flood protection in the Alpine region and flood risk management. Hafner sees a need for action in the case of many small torrents in the area of responsibility of the authority, for example the Zeiselbach in Bad Wiessee. There must be more work on flood protection - especially in view of climate change and extreme weather conditions. The renaturation of water bodies and their surroundings should also remain an important topic. Renaturation means that ecosystems and natural spacesthat have been destroyed or impaired by humans are restored to their original state. Hafner sees such measures as not only beneficial for the waters themselves, but also for people. "During the corona pandemic in particular, we saw how important it is for them to be in nature," he said.
"Rosenheim Water Management Authority has set standards for the whole of Bavaria"
Geisenhofer will not only remember projects and measures, but above all his foresight.
He was someone who didn't think about solutions until the next flood was already in the cellar.
On the contrary.
Geisenhofer urged measures for flood protection and that the buildings should be built in a water-sensitive manner during the land-use planning.
Both Rosenheim's District Administrator Otto Lederer and Martin Grambow from the Ministry of the Environment praised this quality.
"Many ideas were born here in Rosenheim," he emphasized.
The Rosenheim water management authority has set standards for the whole of Bavaria.
In 18 years more than 250 million euros for water and flood protection
There was also praise from the new head of office.
"Rosenheim has done a good job so far," said Hafner.
According to the office, more than 250 million euros have been spent on water and flood protection in the past 18 years.
Millions more will follow.
Upper Bavaria's district president Maria Els was sure of that, as she officially handed over the office to Hafner.
Els emphasized how important the expertise of the water management office in the Rosenheim metropolitan area is - especially in view of flood disasters such as in Berchtesgadener Land.
Alexandra Schöne
Everything from your region!
Our brand new Miesbach newsletter informs you regularly about all the important stories from the Miesbach region - including all the news about the corona crisis in your community.
Sign up here.
