Relocation as adaptation to flooding in the Eferdinger Becken, Austria

In the Eferdinger Becken area of Upper Austria, on the Danube, 154 houses lie in a flood-prone area with no protection against a 1-in-100-year flood, and passive protection through relocation was judged more feasible than structural defences given the importance of the area for flood retention. Following major floods in 2002 and 2013, federal and regional government agreed a EUR 250 million compensation programme offering homeowners 80% of their property's value to relocate voluntarily.

The programme aimed to reduce households' exposure to flood risk while preserving the Danube's flood retention capacity, by engaging residents in a voluntary relocation process and securing financial support from national and regional authorities.

An independent valuation determined compensation for each of the 154 properties, mostly below EUR 500,000, approved by the Federal Ministry of Finance; costs were shared between the federal level (50%), the province (30%) and the owner (20%), with about 20% of funding used for demolition, debris removal and site re-cultivation. Owners had until the end of 2015 (later extended to mid-2016) to apply. Regional authorities designated replacement land at fixed prices to prevent speculation, and a long-term construction prohibition was registered on vacated plots, with an exception allowing owners who chose to stay to rebuild upper floors.

By January 2016, 149 of the 154 households had requested compensation, 146 had received offers, and 80 owners had decided to relocate. Based on the number of households already committed to relocating, exposure to flooding risk in the area had been reduced by more than 50% by that date, a figure expected to increase as more owners accepted offers.

Early voluntary relocation drives had limited uptake, but the severe floods of 2002 and 2013 changed residents' risk perception and drove decisions to resettle. The 80% compensation rate, secured through a rapid federal-regional budget agreement described as unique in the country's history, and the fact that each owner could decide individually (unlike some other Austrian relocation schemes requiring community-level agreement) are identified as key success factors. Residents who chose to stay were reported to be predominantly older and less mobile, raising concerns about residual vulnerability in the remaining community.