The municipal utilities have been busy with the construction project for 15 years, and now it is finally being put into practice: the conversion of the Isar weir in Großhesselohe begins this Wednesday. The aim is to adapt the facility, built in 1906, to modern ecological requirements – while giving equal consideration to fish, canoeists, nature conservation and monument protection.
The fact that this is not exactly easy to implement is shown by the many changes to the original “Isar plan” published by the municipal utility and the state capital in 2008 to modernize the weir. In the meantime, an application has even been made to dismantle the system, since the planned projects could not be implemented. It became even more complicated when the weir was designated as a monument in March 2021, which required a re-examination of the plans.
The project is now scheduled to be completed by autumn 2024. New lock gates should cope better with flotsam, and a less steep staircase should make it easier for the fish to make headway. The banks of the Isar will remain accessible throughout the construction work, but the public utility company warns of temporary restrictions.