Cottbus and Spree-Neisse: Forbidden for water all day!

Cottbus and Spree-Neisse: Forbidden for water all day!

From next Friday, a full-day ban for water withdrawal from rivers and lakes will come into force in Cottbus and in the Spree-Neiße district. This decision, which represents the prior regulation, is aimed at all surface waters in the urban area of ​​Cottbus and the catchment area of ​​the Spree in the Spree-Neiße district. Previously, the water withdrawal was only prohibited from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The reason for these measures is the continued lack of water, which is caused by low water levels in the Spree and persistently low rainfall. The water level on the Leibsch (Dahme-Spreewald) water level has been under critical values ​​for over a week, which made the rapid reaction of the authorities necessary. Furthermore, the citizens must note that the Saxon memory and the Spremberg dam are already handing over water, but the current contingent for June is exhausted, so that further water is not possible.

The city of Cottbus and the Spree-Neisse district attach great importance to this step in order to counteract the insufficient water supply. The general decree affects not only Cottbus, but also numerous other cities and municipalities in the district, including Spremberg, Drebkau, Kolkwitz, Neuhausen, Wiesengrund, Felixsee as well as the Döbern-Land office and several municipalities of the offices Peitz and Burg. These measures are part of a broader strategy for the amount of water surveillance and management in the region, which seem to cause serious problems due to climatological changes and the associated challenges.

climatic challenges and adaptation strategies

The current challenges in the area of ​​water sector are not just a local character. According to the Environmental Federal Agency , the causes of water shortages in Germany are multi-layered. Persistent drought, high temperatures and low water -quality bid are central factors that are reinforced by the climate crisis. The water quality is increasingly suffering from nitrate pollution, and the requirements of agriculture contribute to urban regions in addition to the growing water requirements. This forces regional decision -makers to seek effective and sustainable solutions for water management in order to avoid future usage conflicts.

In various research projects, such as the Wadklim project, measures to improve water management and to adapt to climate change were proposed. These include the promotion of water efficiency, the implementation of adaptation measures and the strengthening of the cooperation between different user groups. It is also recommended to take the natural water balance more into account and to create suitable legal framework conditions in order to ensure safe and fair water supply for all user groups.