Vienna: ALPINE won the contract to build a new harbor gate and pumping station at the Freudenau Harbor between the outer harbor and the actual harbor basin. “This will protect the harbor and even allow it to withstand a 10,000-year Danube flood,“ assures Franz Rehsmann, ALPINE’s project manager. The preparatory work is already in progress. Construction of the harbor gate should be completed by the end of 2010 without disrupting river traffic. The project has a contract value of 15 million euros.
The new gate will be built near the Freudenau Harbor Bridge. Construction will take place on the Danube reservoir side and on the Danube Channel side. Sealing work will be provided down to a depth of 32 meters. ALPINE will also build a pumping station. “Since floods can cause a higher influx of groundwater or strong rains, a pumping station is required to be prepared for rising water levels when the gate is closed“, explains Rehsmann.
The entire facility is designed to withstand Danube floods that statistically only take place every 10,000 years. The gate will be 13.5 meters high and 26.5 meters wide and is designed to protect future facilities, buildings and goods stored in the Freudenau Harbor from being damaged.