Vöckla

The Vöckla is a river in Upper Austria and Salzburg. It begins near Mondseeberg and flows for about 47 kilometres before joining the Ager near Vöcklabruck. For two kilometres near Angern and Vöcklatal, it marks the border between Upper Austria and Salzburg. The river changes direction at Frankenmarkt, flowing east through Vöcklamarkt and Timelkam before turning north again at Straß. It passes through Vöcklabruck and finally meets the Ager downstream in the Schalchhamer Au area. The Vöckla’s catchment area covers 446 square kilometres, making up more than a third of the Ager’s basin. Its flow varies greatly, with an average of 8.8 cubic metres per second at Vöcklabruck. The river has been used for hydropower since the 19th century, with around twenty plants along its course, mostly sawmills. The Timelkam power station once used cooling water from the Vöckla, though it now runs on natural gas. The river’s natural meandering path has been altered in many places by regulation and weirs. The upper reaches of the Vöckla still flow in a relatively natural state, lined with willow and ash trees. Further downstream, isolated sections of near-natural riparian woodland remain, including floodplain forests of ash, grey alder and willow. The river supports brown trout, grayling and rainbow trout, as well as stone crayfish in its upper stretches. Water quality is generally good in the upper reaches but declines slightly downstream due to agricultural and industrial use.