Flood control and revitalisation along the Aare river between Thun and Berne—experiences with recreational use and other conflicts of interest

ABSTRACT: The damage of the floods in 1999 and 2005 revealed the insufficiency of flood control on the Aare river between Thun and Berne. Riverbed-erosion has weakened the bank protection structures. It also causes a lowering of the ground water which leads to a loss of drinking water availability and induces changes in natural habitats. The vision of the aarewasser project: between Thun and Berne the Aare should flow through a river landscape in which natural dynamics are allowed in defined areas to support flood control, drinking water supply, ecology and recreational use.