Lower Austria Research Festival 2025: Water retention in agriculture

At this year's Research Festival at the Palais Niederösterreich, the Institute for Land and Water Management Research gave a vivid presentation on how water can be sustainably retained and used locally in agriculture.

Visitors were given a brief insight into the hydrological past of eastern Lower Austria, which was once characterized by wetlands before river regulation and drainage changed the landscape. Three models were used to show how these interventions affect the soil water balance and what solutions are being tested today.

The first model illustrated the original state of a wetland with a high groundwater level, the second a drained farmland with permanently lowered groundwater. The third demonstrated a possible adaptation measure: controlled drainage. With the help of an adjustable shaft, the water level can be flexibly controlled and water can be retained in the soil for longer.

The audience showed great interest—many visitors reported their own observations of drought in agriculture. It was particularly gratifying to see how even the youngest visitors explored the models with understanding and interest and grasped the interrelationships of the water cycle.