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The re-naturalization of the Ager on the “Spitzgerade” from Sept 2007 to March 2008
 
The two red bars mark the restored stretch of the Ager at the Spitzgerade
The New Ager El Dorado for Fly Fishermen
 

Project 3:  Spitzgerade
 
From this diagram the new installations and their effect on the speed of the current is shown
 

This stretch of the Ager, known by our licensees as the Spitzgerade was begun in the years 2007/2008 as the latest project of the Ager Re-naturalization. The flood control protection and the fish habitat installations can harmonize well, and every concerned fly fisherman can be convinced of this as the project develops. According to waterway regulations of the EU, ecological measures must be taken when flood control protection is built. Therefore biological oversight is required. The time of cement and channelization is over. Obviously our fishery manager, Mag. Roman Moser, was involved from the beginning and influenced the project managers with his ideas.
 
20. Juli 2007

One of the main goals of this project was to widen the Ager to prevent the water from rising too fast. The first step was to remove the flood plain. Fortunately, in this stretch there was a 15-meter-wide “flood strip” available which belongs to the waterway. On other stretches private ground reached to the water’s edge. So where widening was planned, ground had to be purchased at high prices from the owners. This was something that was neglected in earlier channelization efforts.

 

25. Juli 2007

Removal of streamside vegetation.

The high water had raised the flood plain to two meters above the water’s surface, and this caused it to lose its function of equalization. The vegetation filtered the sand and mud with every occurance of high water and a new shoreline was formed.
 
10. August 2007
Now came the first boulders of the new structures on the Ager. They began at the Dorneter Curve by removing the old flood plain with heavy machinery and placing the first breakwaters with boulders. The existing dam was strengthened with granite blocks from the old shore line, and dead wood was anchored between them. “Dead wood brings life” – shelter for young fish.
 
07.Oktober 2007
In the fall of 2007 you could already see the first steps of the restoration. Instead of a stream segment devoid of structure, the Ager was now slowed down by diversionary boulders and breakwaters. The diversionary stones were chosen from Limestone (native to the region), and to avoid having them buried by sand or sinking, they were laid two- and three deep.
 

7. Oktober 2007

The widening of the riverbed proceeds rapidly. A slowing of the current’s velocity is already evident, as well as an alternating and dividing of the current’s flow.
 

25.05.2008

The re-naturalization is complete. After the widening, the Ager sports a condition that will delight every fly fisherman. The shifting of the current is now clearly seen. Long diversionary breakwaters extend to midstream, causing variance in depth and current. There are alternating flat riffles and eddies with deep pockets. Both fish and fisherman feel comfortable here, and as a bonus, benches invite one to rest. While resting, one can watch rising trout and grayling, and often enough find an angler colleague with whom to share experiences.

 

The results can be seen, and from the fly fishermen there are almost only positive responses. There must, of course, be some heavy floods that go over the structured stretch so that sandbanks that rise above the low-water line can form. After that, in turn, the first nature-born plants will establish themselves. Certainly there are some who still whine about the “old” stretch, but the positive aspects, like added shelter and calm-water zones, outshine them by far.

 

The previously hard-to-fish long-lying curve below the Hessenberg weir was also of concern in this project. Above all, the silted bank side inside the curve had to be removed.

 

Here, too, the first step was to remove most of the bank vegetation.
 
28.November 2007
The Ager was significantly widened, and the main current was divided and partly directed to the inner side of the river bend by means of curved breakwaters. In this way a new build-up of sand there is prevented. The river bottom also remains intact after high water.
 
20. January 2008
Now the river is slowed down and no longer rages with full force into the bend. The midstream diversions split the current into two main channels, and certainly a shallow gravel bank will develop in the future and divide the current even better. (bifurcation)
 
27. May 2008
This previously uninteresting section of the Ager has been transformed into a dream stretch by the restoration. Eddies, riffles and calm zones have been created. The newly created habitat was adopted immediately, and recent catches of capital trout confirm the top condition of the old “Spitzgerade.” Slowly, but surely, the Ager is developing into a stream that will be hard to match for water variety and harmony with nature. Not to be forgotten are population density and also the size of individual fish. Even the grayling is coming back in good numbers thanks to these restorative efforts, and they were caught last fall in really respectable sizes.