The works for the reconnection of the Heresznye side branch have also begun in the Croatian territory.
As a first step, the removal of trees that have settled in the significantly filled and narrowed side branch began today. Following this, the widening and deepening of the side branch will commence, and the sediment extracted during this process will be returned to the main channel of the Drava, improving its sediment balance.
On the Croatian side, the length of the side branch to be reconnected to the main channel is 830 meters, while on the Hungarian side, the widening and deepening of the riverbed was already completed in 2023. The reconnection of these side branches, which were artificially separated during previous river regulations or detached from the main channel due to the river regulations and the sinking of the riverbed, is necessary for the water supply of the surrounding cultivated and protected areas. The revitalization of this side branch is also an important step in restarting natural river dynamics, preserving the landscape values of the Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere Reserve along the Drava and Mura rivers, promoting the opportunities for agriculture in the area, and facilitating coexistence between humans and nature.
In the coming years, this intervention will be followed by further habitat restoration efforts within the biosphere reserve area in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, and Serbia, rejuvenating the previously regulated rivers and thereby significantly promoting wildlife conservation, as well as enhancing opportunities for sustainable agriculture and tourism, research, and education in the region.
Photo: Zoltán Barina, WWF Hungary