Abstract
The Marchfeld, north-east of the river Danube between the cities of Vienna and Hainburg (Austria) is known for its special geological and climatic conditions, including water shortage. Water is heavily used for agricultural purposes and for domestic use due to the proximity of Vienna, Austria's capital. An artificial channel resembling a natural river of 18.8 km was built to carry up to 15 m3/s of water diverted from the Danube. It is supposed to increase the groundwater level, supply sufficient water for irrigation and supplement flows in two small rivers, the Russbach and the Stempfelbach. In 1992 the channel was finally filled. This project review describes the development of the fluvial ecosystem. The research encompassed limnology (nutrients, algae, macrophytes, invertebrates), fish-ecology (colonisation, migration, habitat preference, fish pass function), hydrology (current patterns, current model), sedimentology (surveys, types of structures, quality and quantity of the sediment) and bioclimatology (bioclimate, physical limnology). Main differences between the newly created watercourse and a natural river are highlighted. From an ecological point of view, the Marchfeld Canal could be regarded more like an artificial branch of the river Danube than an independent river system. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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