Old Rhine (Diepoldsauer Durchstich)

The straightened Alpine Rhine and the two sections "Old Rhine"

Map of Diepoldsau before the breakthrough. Detail from Carl Ferdinand Weiland , (1782–1847) map of Switzerland 1817.

The Old Rhine at the Diepoldsauer breakthrough is part of the old river bed of the Rhine in the St. Gallen and Vorarlberg Rhine valleys , which was cut off when the river was straightened as part of the Rhine regulation . Since then, the Swiss community of Diepoldsau has been on the “wrong”, actually Austrian, eastern side of the Rhine.

history

The Alpine Rhine has been dammed and straightened by the International Rhine Regulation (IRR). The once “wild” river has been tamed and the danger of recurring floods has largely been averted.

In 1900 the Fußacher piercing was completed after five years of construction. The Rhine Valley inland canal , which was newly constructed between 1896 and 1906, was directed into the old arm of the river near Höchst (Vorarlberg) / St. Margrethen . The result is the Old Rhine , which carries the meteor waters of the St. Gallen Rhine Valley and parts of the Appenzellerland into Lake Constance . It flows into Lake Constance near Altenrhein .

In 1923 the course of the Rhine was shortened again with the Diepoldsauer cut; the old Rhine was created near Diepoldsau.

Both bodies of water have developed into a valuable local recreation and nature reserve.

The Schmitter Bridge customs office between the Matz and the Rohrspitz

The Old Rhine near Hohenems, on the border with Diepoldsau.

State border

The border between Austria and Switzerland was left in both sections along the course of the river of the Old Rhine. Thus there are municipalities in the federal state of Vorarlberg that are located on the left bank of the Rhine. The St. Gallen community of Diepoldsau is located to the right of the Rhine on a "Rhine island".

The two border crossings Diepoldsau- Hohenems and Schmitter- Lustenau lead in the area of the Diepoldsau breakthrough over the Old Rhine.

Old Rhine at the Diepoldsauer breakthrough

The Old Rhine , which was created by the Diepoldsau breakthrough, can now be divided into four sections. From south to north (direction of flow) they are called: "Rheinspitz", "Zollbereich" (also: "bei Zoll"), "Matz" and "Rohrspitz". All sections are connected with each other with small streams. Excess water can be poured into the “Diepoldsauer Kanal”, resp. «Lustenauer Kanal», expire.

In the first few years after its formation, the Old Rhine was intensively dredged from both banks and the gravel obtained was used to manufacture concrete . The dredging depth sometimes reached 14 m, which is below the water table in this area (6–10 m). This polluted the groundwater and the water level fell. Dredging the gravel was then banned. The ruins of the facilities, such as conveyor belts and dredgers , rusted away on the Swiss side for decades. They were often used as a playground by the young bathers. Swimming accidents in the local recreation area led to a rethink. More recently the scrap was removed and the area renatured.

A median strip , which is interrupted at times and on which the Swiss / Austria border is located, runs through the Old Rhine in the middle of the water . It can be reached from the respective section boundaries and is often used as a nudist beach. In earlier times these headlands were used by smugglers by camouflaging themselves as bathers. Coming from one side of the border, they enjoyed themselves at the swimming lake, and then left the recreation area in the other direction. The contraband was hidden in a large beach bag.

The Old Rhine is also a popular destination for sport fishermen from the region. Pikes over 120 cm long and weighing more than 15 kg have been caught, albeit rarely. The sport fisherman Gjordjevic Miodrag caught a record carp . The mirror carp was 94 centimeters long and 23.8 kilograms. It was the heaviest carp ever caught in Switzerland.

Rheinholz

In the right part of the mouth of the Old Rhine lies the Rheinholz with old trees and rare animal species.

Movie

Limitless river freedom - draft on the Old Rhine. Documentary, Austria, 2012, 22:40 min., Book and design: Ingrid Bertel, camera: Alexander Roschanek, production: ORF , series: Erlebnis Österreich , first broadcast: September 2, 2012 on ORF III , summary by ORF, ( Memento vom September 3, 2014 in the Internet Archive ), u. a. with Alexandra Maria Nutz as Undine - reciter .

Web links

Commons : Alter Rhein - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ Portrait of the community of Diepoldsau. Retrieved July 21, 2020 .
↑ Groundwater measuring points . State Ministry AT, accessed on December 7, 2013 .
^ Groundwater in Vorarlberg report 2003. Hydrographischer Dienst Vorarlberg, accessed on December 7, 2013 .
↑ Giant carp back in the Old Rhine ( Memento from February 10, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Tagblatt Online: October 15, 2009
↑ Marion Rapp: 111 natural treasures around Lake Constance that you have to see. Emons Verlag GmbH, 2015, ISBN 978-3-95451-619-3 . Das Rheinholz , pp. 66–67.

and display information about the image

View from the Hohe Kugel to the Diepoldsauer Durchstich, or the Old Rhine near Diepoldsau

47.377527 9.670355Coordinates: 47 ° 22 ′ 39 " N , 9 ° 40 ′ 13" E ; CH1903: 768 520 / 249,807

[1] Portrait of the community of Diepoldsau. Retrieved July 21, 2020 .

[2] Groundwater measuring points . State Ministry AT, accessed on December 7, 2013 .

[3] Groundwater in Vorarlberg report 2003. Hydrographischer Dienst Vorarlberg, accessed on December 7, 2013 .

[4] Giant carp back in the Old Rhine ( Memento from February 10, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Tagblatt Online: October 15, 2009

[5] Marion Rapp: 111 natural treasures around Lake Constance that you have to see. Emons Verlag GmbH, 2015, ISBN 978-3-95451-619-3 . Das Rheinholz , pp. 66–67.