Wasserstraßendirektion, WSD

Waterways Authority, German: Wasserstraßendirektion (WSD), formerly Bundesstrombauamt (Federal Waterways Engineering Office): Its duties comprise administration, regulating and maintaining the Rivers Danube (including the Vienna Danube Canal), Enns and Traun (estuary area), March and Thaya (up to Bernhardsthal valley) as well as other issues concerning their organisation and management. The waterways authority has three waterways administration offices for specific areas (West: Aschach; Central: Krems an der Donau; East: Bad Deutsch-Altenburg) and manages the Danube flood protection association (Donauhochwasserschutz-Konkurrenz, DHK) which implements both preventive and defensive measures.