Munich's surfers left shocked as famed river wave vanishes

A stationary surge in a Munich stream that has been a wave-riding hotspot for over four decades has disappeared, leaving urban surfers high and dry.

The water volume in the "ice brook" dropped recently for yearly maintenance along the river bottom.

However, once the gates reopened and water began to flow last Friday, the Eisbach wave did not form as usual.

"We're baffled," wave rider Klaus Rudolf told a publication. "I was standing at the edge with my surfboard on Friday evening and couldn't believe it."

The Eisbach wave in the city park has grown into an icon in the southern German city since unofficial wave riders in the eighties transformed it from an occasional natural phenomenon to a consistent surfing spot.

City officials pledge quick solution

"Local government is cooperating with the Water Management Office and wave enthusiasts to identify a speedy fix so that the famous surf wave will soon be available to its normal state," Mayor Dieter Reiter announced Tuesday.

The precise reason the surge disappeared remained unclear as of this week, as stated by city officials.

The latest maintenance removed obstructions from the streambed and inspected the waterway.

"No structural changes were made to the Eisbach wave or its edges throughout the maintenance," the authorities stated, and an inspection of the site earlier this week did not reveal structural issues.

Recovery attempts in progress

Authorities intend to redirect additional flow from the nearby river into the Eisbach in attempts the surge returns.

The Eisbach wave is generally considered the largest and most consistent river wave in the center of a large urban area, and has become a tourist attraction in Bavaria's state capital, which is typically recognized for beer and sausage at the yearly festival.

Franz Fasel, head of the local surfers' association IGSM, told AFP in summer that thousands of local surfers frequent the river surge.

"Wave riding is integral to the culture in Munich," he said. "Not only for the riders personally, but also for the city's image."

Precautionary rules established after previous event

At the time, the Eisbach wave had just reopened after a months-long closure following the spring tragedy of a 33-year-old Munich woman who became trapped beneath the water while surfing at night.

Since it reopened, new safety rules prohibited after-dark riding and established an age requirement of 14 to enter the stream.