Salzburg ski resorts invest in water storage and snowmaking

Salzburg ski resorts are investing millions in reservoirs and snowmaking equipment to make the most of limited cold spells in early winter, ORF reports. The measures are also intended to reduce pressure on rivers during dry periods.

The new reservoir in the Aberg ski area near Maria Alm has been filled for the first time with 65 million litres of water, equivalent to more than 400,000 bathtub-fulls. The water comes from the nearby Urslau river, which is carrying about a third less water than usual after a record-breaking summer.

The state of Salzburg has authorised the ski lift company to take up to 300,000 cubic metres from the river. The company says it can stay within the approved limit despite the lower water level. Aberg ski lift company executive Siegfried Egger said the river still had enough water for the reservoir’s initial filling. From next year, the company plans to collect snowmelt in the middle of the ski area and pump it uphill to the reservoir.

The new reservoir is expected to let the ski area lay a base of artificial snow in four days, half the time it previously took. Cooling towers will help keep water cold before it reaches snowmaking machines. Of Aberg’s 100 snow cannons, 58 are new models that can operate at higher temperatures. They can start making snow at a wet-bulb temperature of minus 2 degrees Celsius, compared with minus 5 degrees for older machines. Egger said the technology was close to its physical limits.

A reservoir of a similar size is being built at Asitz in Leogang. Leogang ski lift company manager Kornel Grundner said reservoirs could allow operators to draw water when it is plentiful, such as during snowmelt, and take less from rivers at other times.

Salzburg already has about 120 reservoirs, but there are few remaining locations for new ones in the mountains. Rising temperatures and longer dry periods are making planning more difficult.