As of: March 29, 2024, 9:00 a.m
By: Alois Ostler
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Karl Probst, chairman of the “Save the Isar Now” association, thanked Hans-Peter Schamderl with a gift for the lecture on the problems at the Krüner Weir. © ao
Below the Krüner Weir the Isar often runs dry. This is a big problem - also for fish.
Lenggries
– The upper Isar is considered the last alpine wild river landscape in Germany. Between Krün and the Sylvenstein reservoir, the “Reißende” is still a largely natural section - and yet is suffering from the consequences of human intervention. A major problem area lies below the Krüner Weir, where the majority of the Isar water is drained into the Walchensee via the Obernach Canal.
Upper Isar is the last alpine wild river landscape in Germany.
With the partial return, fought for by the “Save the Isar Now” association, at least 3 cubic meters per second (cbm/sec) in the winter and 4.8 cbm/sec of Isar water in the summer months have been flowing at the Krüner Weir in the original river bed since 1990. However, the small amounts of residual water cannot move the gravel. “The consequences are dramatic,” says Hans-Peter Schamderl. “The Isar has dried up here 43 times since 1995.” The 76-year-old knows the less beautiful sides of the wild river well enough. As Isar representative for the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district fishing association, he is always on hand when the rest of the Isar seeps into the gravel bed below the Krüner weir. The interruption varies from a few hours to up to five months a year.
“Some people find it funny when the Isar disappears – the fish don’t”
“Some people think it’s funny when the Isar disappears – the fish don’t,” said Schamderl at the general meeting of “Save the Isar Now”. “Then the crows fly and peck out the fish’s eyes.” That’s why the Garmisch fishermen come in during the dry seasons. They use electric fishing gear to take the fish out of the shallow pools and reintroduce them downstream. That doesn't have to be the case, said Schamderl in his lecture on the Isar conflict of interest. “With a little good will and letting go of outdated views, a significant reduction in the problem would be easily possible.” Schamerl has been calling for a so-called ballast basin above the Krün weir for years. There are also successful models from the Technical University of Munich at the test facility in Obernach.
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Gravel removal would therefore be possible at the gravel trap. In his opinion, a reconstruction of the Krüner weir, which has been discussed again and again, would not be necessary. A targeted gravel removal above the weir would be better tolerated by the rest of the Isar. Schamerl doesn't think much of the bush clearing measures that are carried out from time to time with heavy equipment in the Isar bed. “Nature conservation is important, but it should be done with moderation and purpose.”
Demand for gravel traps
Schamerl was the head of the Walchensee power plant for many years, and as is well known, the cards for the future will be reshuffled before 2030. In his opinion, all sides must make proposals for the allocation of water rights “that can also be implemented”. The powerful power plant not only serves to generate sustainable electricity, but also to protect against flooding. This was shown during the Pentecost flood in 1999, when 32 million cubic meters of water were retained in Walchensee through targeted transfers.
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Fraudsters want to get into the “Save the Isar” account
The finances of “Save the Isar Now” are in the best hands. This was assured by Andreas Stadler, who, together with Michael Gilgenrainer as auditor, had gone through all of the previous year's receipts before the association's general meeting. The unanimous discharge of the board was therefore purely a formality.
Nevertheless, the “Isar rescuers” sometimes worry about their assets. “Last year there were two attacks on our club account,” chairman Karl Probst reported to the members in the Alpine Festival Hall. Accordingly, unknown persons submitted fake transfer forms to a local credit institution. A conscientious Sparkasse employee prevented anything worse from happening. “Do you really want to transfer 5,000 euros to this or another person?” Thanks to this demand, the attempted fraud was prevented, said Probst.
Once again, dubious dealers from northern Germany wanted to sell off expensive wristwatches using fake transfers from the club account. Probst found out when he filed a complaint that the police were powerless against such machinations.
(Alois Ostler)
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