Editing Vienna (section)

=== Rivers ===

==== Danube ====
[[File:Vienna_20021024_(cropped).JPG|thumb|(l-r) Donaukanal, Danube, New Danube, Old Danube]]
Vienna is the [[List of cities and towns on the river Danube|largest city]] on the [[Danube]], which flows from the north and exits to the southeast.
[[File:Karte_Donaudurchstich.jpg|thumb|The plan for the regulation]]
Until 1870, the Danube in Vienna remained unregulated, with the river flowing through multiple branching side arms, making the area highly susceptible to flooding. The first major [[Vienna Danube regulation|Danube regulation]] project involved cutting a new, straight main channel to improve flood control and navigation. As part of the project, the arm that ran closer to the city center was preserved and is now known as the [[Donaukanal]] (Danube Canal). Additionally, another former arm north of the river was transformed into an [[oxbow lake]], today called the [[Old Danube|Alte Donau]] (''Old Danube'').<ref>{{Cite web |title=Donauregulierung 1870-1876 |url=https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Donauregulierung_1870-1876 |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at |language=de}}</ref>

Despite these measures, Vienna remained vulnerable to [[flood]]ing. To further mitigate flood risks, a second Danube regulation was undertaken starting in the 1970s. This project involved the construction of a parallel [[Flood management|flood relief]] channel, the [[New Danube|Neue Donau]] (''New Danube''), designed to divert excess water during high discharge periods. The excavated material from this project was used to create the Donauinsel (''Danube Island''), a long, narrow artificial island situated between the New Danube and the regulated main river. The effectiveness of these flood protection measures was demonstrated during the [[2024 European floods]], when Vienna remained largely unaffected.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-20 |title='Our plan worked': How Vienna prepared itself for a 5,000-year flood |url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240920-our-plan-worked-how-vienna-prepared-itself-for-a-5000-year-flood |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The four parts of the Danube:

* The main Danube is the widest of the river’s branches and serves as the primary route for shipping.
* The [[New Danube|Neue Donau]] (''New Danube'') is a side channel located to the east of the main river, running for approximately 21 kilometers. The water flows more slowly than in the main Danube, making it ideal for water sports such as swimming, rowing, and sailing. Motorboats are prohibited in this section.
* The [[Old Danube|Alte Donau]] (''Old Danube'') is a lake situated to the east of the New Danube, which effectively separates [[Kaisermühlen]] from the rest of the city. This lake is a popular recreational area for swimming, with freely accessible piers and beaches. Motorboats and pedalos are permitted on the lake and can be rented from nearby vendors.
* The [[Donaukanal]] (''Danube Canal'') branches off from the main river and re-enters close to the southern and northern edges of the city. Unlike the main river, it flows through the city center. While primarily used by boats, the paths along both sides of the canal are popular among pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists.
{{Gallery|File:Wien - Neue Donau.JPG|The New Danube in the front, the main Danube in the back, with the Donauinsel in-between.|File:Alte Donau Wien.jpg|The Old Danube|File:Schwedenbrücke Donaukanal Wien 2012 04.jpg|The Donaukanal by Schwedenplatz at night|title=|align=center|footer=|style=|state=|height=|width=|perrow=|mode=packed|whitebg=|noborder=|captionstyle=|alt1=|alt2=}}

==== Wien ====
[[File:Wienflussportal beim Stadtpark.JPG|thumb|The Wien in the Stadtpark]]
The river [[Wien (river)|Wien]] (''die Wien'' or ''Wienfluss'') is a 34-kilometer-long [[tributary]] of the Danube, with approximately half of its course flowing through Vienna. It originates in the [[Vienna Woods]] (''Wienerwald'') and flows eastward through the city, ultimately joining the Donaukanal. Historically, the river was prone to flooding, which prompted several regulatory measures and modifications, including the canalisation of its course in the 19th century. Today, much of the river Wien is contained within underground channels in the urban area. It enters Vienna in [[Penzing (Vienna)|Penzing]], flowing above ground past Schönbrunn Palace before being covered by the [[Naschmarkt]]. The river reemerges in the Stadtpark in the 1st district, before flowing into the Donaukanal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wienfluss |url=https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Wienfluss#Verlauf |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at |language=de}}</ref>