Audit of the implementation of the third Rhone correction
Bern, 17.08.2026 — The third Rhone correction is the largest flood protection project in Switzerland. It is aimed at protecting over 100,000 people from flood events and prevent damage worth up to CHF 10 billion. This once-in-a-generation project will cost CHF 3.6 billion, and was given the go-ahead in 2016. It involves around 870 hectares of land, including arable land for which the compensation has not yet been clarified in the Valais.
The canton of Valais undertook a project revision in 2024. The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) examined whether the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) had taken the risks to and interests of the Confederation into account. It concluded that the FOEN actively exercises its supervision and has reduced financial risks to the Confederation since 2022 by suspending payments for pre-funded services. The SFAO also examined whether the FOEN had implemented past recommendations. This was the case for three of the four recommendations, while the recommendation on subsidy refunds was not implemented.