Surf wave on the Danube in Regensburg?

Is there a risk of the end already in the planning phase?

Created: 2022-12-14, 5:16 p.m

By: Stefan Aigner

“Shaka with women mayors” was the motto in September when the contract for the feasibility study was awarded.

But the feasibility doesn't seem to be far off.

© City of Regensburg

Will Regensburg get a wave for surfing in the Danube?

There have been corresponding demands for three years.

But the first results of a study give little hope.  

Regensburg – The goal is ambitious: Since February 2019, an initiative has been trying to put a permanent wave of river surfing on the political agenda in Regensburg.

There are role models for this: The Eisbach wave in the English Garden in Munich is probably the best known.

But more and more cities are following suit – or at least trying to.

At the end of March, the so-called Fuchslochwelle opened on the Pegnitz in Nuremberg.

Surf wave for Regensburg: City commissions feasibility study

Then, in August, the news of success: a feasibility study on the subject of waves was applied for via the city’s youth advisory board – and the politicians responded with open ears.

A photo session followed in September with the mayor, the youth mayor, representatives of the initiative and of course surfboard.

A team led by Prof. Dr.

Robert Meier-Staude was commissioned with said study.

Meier-Staude, professor at the Munich University of Applied Sciences, participant in the "RiverWaveProject", which offers feasibility studies and the corresponding technology for implementation, is a passionate surfer himself.

For just 5000 euros, he and his team are now to examine seven locations - one of them in the district, at the weir in Pielmühle.

But the interim results that have leaked out so far should not necessarily make surfing enthusiasts happy.

And that is not primarily due to water conservationists such as the Donau-Naab-Regen-Alliance (DoNaReA) or fishing associations, who are somewhat skeptical about the project.

Feasibility study for surf wave in Regensburg: interim results give little hope

The undertaking is made difficult by the fact that the Danube, in contrast to the Eisbach and the Pegnitz, is a federal waterway.

Therefore, complex approval procedures in coordination with the waterways and shipping administration are necessary - and this authority is considered to be sluggish and not particularly accommodating.

At an interim presentation in November, several locations were finally dropped, while others were very likely to be dropped.

Two locations near the Pfaffensteiner weir are said to have less of a chance – although the flow speed and gradient would fit.

Feasibility study for surf wave: Many locations in Regensburg are eliminated

On the one hand, their implementation would probably be too expensive, there is talk of amounts in the double-digit million range.

On the other hand, there are fears of conflicts with the local power plant operator Uniper in the event of low water.

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The canal at the Sorat Hotel (lack of sufficient water and slope), a potential location directly at the Steinerne Brücke (difficult flow direction, flood protection) and at the Mühleninsel opposite the Wurschtkuchl (residents, monument protection, flow rate too low) have certainly been eliminated.

Surf wave for Regensburg: Two favorites with stumbling blocks

One of the preliminary favorites of the study organizers is a floating platform in the northern arm of the Danube.

According to previous assessments, this could be implemented with comparatively little effort.

The price for such a platform, even for the smallest version, is almost one million euros.

In addition - and this should not be an insignificant stumbling block - coordination with the waterways and shipping administration and with Uniper would be necessary here.

And finally, resistance from water conservationists is also to be expected here.

(By the way: Our brand new Regensburg newsletter will keep you regularly informed about all the important stories from the World Heritage city and the Upper Palatinate. Register here.)

Location for Surf Wave in County: Community isn't thrilled

In the past, Josef Paukner from DoNaReA had described a wave in the northern arm as "not eligible for approval" because it was one of the most important spawning grounds for fish up to the Geisling barrage.

A location outside of the city area performed best – namely the weir in the rain near Pielmühle.

There is already a recreation area with the appropriate infrastructure there, and a wave solution would be comparatively cheap to implement here, they say.

There is talk of long-term investment costs of less than one million euros.

But the devil is in a few not insignificant details.

On the one hand, the responsible municipality of Lappersdorf is not particularly open to the "Welle" project.

Study on the surf wave for Regensburg: Many things are not taken into account

On the other hand, implementation in Pielmühle also seems unlikely because there are still plans for a power plant there.

Should this come, there would be no water for the wave.

Should the objections of the opponents overturn the power plant, the approval of a wave is likely to be difficult.

However, a very fundamental problem with the previous studies seems to be that some fundamental aspects of water law – flood protection, water continuity, maintenance, traffic safety obligations and the like – have so far played at best a subordinate role in the assessment of feasibility by the study makers.

Surf wave for Regensburg before the end?

In other words: Sooner or later, in addition to the waterways and shipping administration, authorities such as the Regensburg Water Management Office will also appear and ask appropriate questions as to whether the feasibility has actually been meaningfully examined.

This could deal another sensitive blow to the already very shaky dream of a Danube wave, perhaps the last.

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