Two thirds of the residents of the Graubünden village of Brienz/Brinzauls would prefer to continue living in the municipality of Albula/Alvra if their village had to be relocated. This was the result of a survey by the municipality of those affected by the Brienz slide. A study found that there would be plenty of building land within the municipality for resettlement. Depending on the needs of those affected, existing building zones may need to be expanded.
Through an entire program of precautionary measures, the Graubünden municipality of Albula/Alvra is preparing for the fact that the village of Brienz/Brinzauls could no longer be habitable as a result of the “landslide village” or that Brienz/Brinzauls and parts of Vazerol, Tiefencastel and Surava could be damaged as a result of a rock slide.
The four factions of Albula/Alvra are in the danger zone of the Brienz slide, which moves Brienz/Brinzauls and the mountainside behind it downhill at high speed and also threatens the other three factions in the event of a landslide.
Part of the extensive precautionary measures that the municipality is taking with the support of the Canton of Grisons is the clarification of a possible relocation from Brienz/Brinzauls. On Friday and Monday, the authorities informed those affected and the public about the clarifications.
The focus of all efforts is on repairing the landslide, said municipal president Daniel Albertin at the outset. However, if it is not possible to slow down or even stop the landslide, the question of a possible relocation must also be addressed. They address the wishes and needs of those affected as much as possible and have already carried out two surveys and numerous individual interviews.
In Brienz/Brinzauls, resettlement would affect around 70 permanent residents and around 50 second homes, according to a survey by the municipality.
Brienz/Brinzauls is doubly endangered by Brienz slide: The village itself is currently sliding downhill at more than one meter per year. The movement is damaging houses, pipes and roads. If the movement continues or even increases in the long term, the damage could one day be so severe that the village is no longer habitable.
Almost 300 apartments in a possible damage perimeter
Brienz/Brinzauls is also threatened by a rock slide, as the mountainside behind the village slides at over six meters per year in places. The probability of a major landslide is very low, but the authorities are still preparing Brienz/Brinzauls and the three other factions for it.
In the entire damage perimeter of a possible landslide, there are almost 300 apartments with a usable area of 34,000 square meters, 9,000 of which are homes owned by locals.
A survey of those affected from Brienz/Brinzauls showed that just under two thirds of them would like to resettle in the municipality of Albula/Alvra if they resettled. In such a case, around half would want to move to Vazerol and a fifth to Alvaneu Dorf.
The municipality's “Settlement Commission” deals with the questions of a possible resettlement. A study by the consulting firm Stauffer & Studach, which specializes in spatial planning, has examined various locations for new buildings. It turned out that there are generally enough land reserves in the municipality to carry out resettlement.
However, the favored Vazerol faction is not entirely suitable, as it itself is in or near the damage perimeter of a possible landslide.
Extensive planning required
The study, on which the municipality will publish a report in a few weeks, shows that extensive planning steps are necessary in the event of a need for relocation. It is also necessary to clarify how a relocation would be financed.
The municipality alone would not be economically able to manage such a project, even if the canton and federal government would finance it with the currently highest possible share of 90 percent, said municipal president Daniel Albertin. Albertin also praises the cooperation with cantonal authorities and the federal government. The discussions were very open and solution-oriented.
As a next step, the municipality will now hold further discussions with the canton and federal government regarding further action, financing issues and the submission of an application. However, all measures with regard to resettlement are preventive, stressed municipal president Albertin at the end. The focus of interest would be measures to clean up the landslide so that relocation would not be necessary in the first place.
Christian Gartmann is the communication and media officer of the municipality of Albula/Alvra for the Brienz slide.