Lech and people
Living with the Lech is not always easy. The Tyrolean Lech has two faces. Picturesque and playful with turquoise-blue water, it can look like a work of art that recreates itself every day. But after rainfall and during snowmelt, it can change its face in a matter of hours. Then it is dirty-brown with huge masses of water making their way.
People still refer to the Lech in the valley area as the "biggest landowner". But in order to be able to live along the Lech and to gain land for pastures and villages, they have first on a small scale, then on a larger scale, diverted the Lech into a smaller bed with walls and dams. What was well-intentioned turned out to be a mistake. The Lech needs space for its water masses. Floods overflowed the fortified banks and caused great damage. With the help of public funds to renaturalize the Lech in places. During the floods, it became clear that where the Lech had retained its wide riverbed, the damage was less than in the built-up sections of the riverbank.
Even today, the Tyrolean Lech is gradually being freed from its obstructions. It is regarded throughout Europe as a prime example of successful river restoration.