A stationary surge in an urban waterway that has been a wave-riding hotspot for over 40 years has disappeared, leaving urban surfers without their waves.
Water levels in the "ice brook" were lowered recently for annual cleanup work along the streambed.
But when the gates reopened and the stream resumed flowing last Friday, the famous surge failed to appear as usual.
"We're baffled," wave rider Klaus Rudolf stated to Stern magazine. "I stood at the bank with my board on Friday evening and was astonished."
The Eisbach wave in the Englischer Garten park has grown into an icon in the southern German city since unofficial wave riders in the eighties turned it from an sporadic water event to a permanent surfable presence.
City officials vow rapid resolution
"Local government is working with the water authorities and wave enthusiasts to identify a speedy fix so that the renowned water surge will soon be available again as usual," Mayor Dieter Reiter announced Tuesday.
Exactly why the wave vanished was still unknown as of this week, according to city officials.
The latest maintenance cleared debris from the streambed and inspected the waterway.
"No alterations were made to the river surge or its edges throughout the maintenance," the city said, and an inspection of the site earlier this week did not reveal any damage.
Restoration efforts in progress
Officials plan to redirect additional flow from the Isar River into the Eisbach in hopes the surge returns.
The Munich river surge is widely regarded as the biggest and steadiest inland water surge in the heart of a major city, and has become a tourist attraction in Bavaria's state capital, which is typically recognized for brews and bratwurst at the yearly festival.
Franz Fasel, leader of the wave riders' group IGSM, told news agencies in July that thousands of Munich wave riders frequent the river surge.
"Wave riding is part of the lifestyle in the city," he said. "Not just for the surfers themselves, but also for the urban identity."
Safety measures implemented after recent incident
Previously, the Eisbach wave had recently resumed after a lengthy shutdown following the April death of a 33-year-old Munich woman who became trapped under the surface while surfing at night.
After returning to use, updated regulations banned night-time surfing and established an age requirement of 14 to enter the stream.