Nature-oriented redesign of the Kocher river in Schwäbisch Hall

The city of Schwäbisch Hall has redesigned the area north of the Kocher river in the area of the city center, the so-called 'Weilerwiesen'. In addition to the high-rise structure with a hotel, saltwater pool, medical center, housing and restaurants, the open spaces with leisure facilities and a first section of the Kocher promenade are already in place. The promenade, which is part of the Kocher-Jagst cycle path, will be continued and the entire section of the Kocher will be upgraded and made more natural in accordance with the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive. A core element of the watercourse planning is the construction of a functional fish ladder at the Dreimühlen weir, which is an insurmountable obstacle for fish and small aquatic organisms. Attractive adventure and recreational facilities along the banks of the Kocher are intended to enable active and passive recreational use in the city by the river.



For financial reasons, the construction project is divided into different construction phases. The first phase includes the continuation of the Kocher promenade with a viewing deck and recreation areas, the necessary conversion and new construction of the bank walls with Corten steel cladding and new railings as well as a privacy fence system to the adjacent brine pool. The second construction phase with fish ladder and Kocher redesign was completed at the end of 2021. It was implemented in cooperation with the Stuttgart Regional Council and the city of Schwäbisch Hall; the fish ladder was financially supported with funding from the state of Baden-Württemberg. In addition to the improvements in terms of water ecology, the aim of the redesign is to make the Kocher a tangible experience in the city.