Rivers are permanently changing. Floods, silting up, erosion and deepening change their navigability for ships. Therefore, the Water Engineering Management Team of via donau assesses needs, executes the planning and awarding of water engineering projects and ongoing water engineering measures on the basis of the observations of waterway depth conditions and outflow of flood waters.

The daily work of the River Enginnering comprises project oversight for maintenance work along the navigation line and route. This work includes dredging in ford areas, with the material being used to create gravel structures or as detritus supplement. The dredging of fine sediment is necessary in the areas with alluvial deposits that form around locks and ports. The removal of large stones is also required from time to time. Moreover, the tasks of the Water Engineering Management also include water regulating structures such as groins and control surfaces as well as the maintenance of riverbanks and pier walls, footpaths along the riverbanks, steps, ramps, gauges, measurement points and kilometre signs.

via donau considers it very important to take ecological aspects in consideration in project planning and execution for rivers and the riverbank regions. Today, ecologically compatible design and revitalisation projects are important for water engineering management. Within the scope of the LIFE Nature Projects Wachau, new gravel islands will be created by dredging that will soon serve as breeding and winter habitat to many types of birds, and many of the silted-up old arms of the Danube will be connected to the river again. The revitalisation of the old river arm Wallsee included the creation of a man-made natural island and embankment structures to improve the ecological function.

The Integrated River Engineering Project to the East of Vienna is an internationally recognized achievement that exploits the potentials of water engineering technology to combine navigation interests with the aims of ecology and the National Park Donau-Auen as best as possible.