Drought drives demand for new irrigation solutions in Lower Austria

Farmers in Lower Austria are facing drought damage estimated at 400 million euros, while demand grows for new ways to secure water for agriculture, ORF reported. A key point of contact is the Irrigation Competence Centre operated by the Marchfeldkanal company.

The Marchfeldkanal brings Danube water to the Marchfeld, one of Austria’s most important agricultural regions. The area is traditionally dry and has a high demand for water. Without the canal, it could not be farmed, and irrigation is essential for its large fields, particularly in the current extremely dry year.

Franz Steiner, managing director of the Marchfeldkanal company, said the system had been built to prevent the groundwater level from falling too far during dry periods. The groundwater body beneath the region is Austria’s largest contiguous one, he said. The water is also used for other purposes, including drinking water production.

Plans to move water between regions

The Irrigation Competence Centre in Deutsch-Wagram, a town in the Gänserndorf district, was established in 2020 on the initiative of the state of Lower Austria and the Lower Austrian Chamber of Agriculture. It has already supported 180 projects, and is increasingly receiving inquiries from regions that previously had sufficient water supplies.

The centre advises farmers on ways to store or obtain water, either regionally or locally through storage ponds. It is also researching ways to transport water to dry regions from elsewhere. One proposal involves using pumping pipelines to move water to other areas.

Lorenz Mayr, vice-president and designated president of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, said infrastructure was needed to bring water to eastern Austria. The region accounts for two-thirds of the country’s grain production and more than 75 percent of its vegetable production, he said, making it important to Austria’s food security.

Farmers call for rapid support

The extreme dryness has also intensified calls for government assistance. Mayr urged the introduction of rapid drought aid packages, including subsidised-interest drought loans, to give farms enough liquidity to buy feed for livestock and purchase seed and fertiliser for the following year.

He said drought, heat and rising production costs were placing increasing pressure on farmers.