Oberach

The Oberach is a small river in Upper Austria that begins on the northern slope of Guggenberg at about 620 metres above sea level. It flows north for eighteen kilometres through gentle farmland and villages such as Pattigham and Neuhofen. Near Ried im Innkreis the stream meets the Breitsach and becomes the Rieder Bach, which soon joins the larger Antiesen. The river drains forty-four square kilometres of the Hausruck hills, making it the Antiesen’s second-largest tributary after the Osternach. Its main side streams are the Kronawittbach and the Windischhuber Bach, both under ten kilometres long. The Frankenburger Landesstraße follows the valley for part of its course, crossing the river near Pramet. In its upper reaches the Oberach still winds naturally, but downstream it has been straightened and fitted with ninety-eight weirs. Sections around Ried are heavily walled, while other stretches show promising signs for restoration. Despite past dumping of rubble and waste, parts of the riverbank still support wildlife typical of the Antiesen system.