Crisis for fish: water withdrawals endanger our waters!

Crisis for fish: water withdrawals endanger our waters!

A worrying signal from the world of water: The upper water authority of the regional council (RP) in Kassel is calling for savings in water withdrawals from rivers and streams. The situation is particularly tense in northern and eastern Hesse. Low flows and rising water temperatures put a strain on the living conditions for fish and other aquatic organisms. This is becoming increasingly critical as small bodies of water are particularly affected by this problem. Additional water withdrawals could endanger their chances of survival, as rp-kassel.hessen.de reports.

In this context, District President Mark Weinmeister appeals to all citizens to act responsibly. He warns that, especially in small bodies of water, water withdrawals without a permit for residents' use should be avoided. Even on larger bodies of water such as the Fulda, Weser and Werra, water withdrawals are only permitted up to a certain limit in order not to significantly influence the outflow. According to this, property owners are allowed to withdraw a maximum of ten liters per second and up to 1,000 cubic meters per year for their own use without having to obtain a permit, provided that the runoff is not noticeably reduced.

Meaning of the regulations

The Water Resources Act (WHG), which is considered the central set of rules in German water law, lays down the basic pillars for the protection and preservation of water as a basis of life and living space. It regulates, among other things, water withdrawals and the discharge of substances into bodies of water. The last amendment to the WHG, which came into force in June 2020, focuses heavily on protecting waters from pollution, particularly from agriculture. In order to prevent nutrient runoff, buffer strips of five meters must be maintained around surface water, as wirtschaftswissen.de highlights.

To protect waters, users are called upon to avoid adverse changes to water properties and to use water sustainably. Lower water authorities have the right to restrict or even exclude use without a permit in order to protect the natural environment. Special requirements apply here to the regulations on abstract approvals and permits, which define the respective scope of application and contain specific restrictions.

Ecological necessity

The condition of the water bodies themselves is influenced by numerous factors, including precipitation, evaporation, the morphology of the water bodies and water withdrawals. These conditions are evaluated to focus on ecological concerns. The information on the hydromorphological condition of the water bodies and their continuity provides information about the areas that require action. The focus here is not only on quantitative water levels, but also on the quality of the water structure plays a crucial role, as umweltbundesamt.de explains.

Overall, the health situation of the water and its surroundings depends heavily on the type and intensity of human intervention. Sustainable use of water resources is therefore not only the need of the hour, but also a question of responsibility towards nature and future generations. Water authorities will continue to monitor the situation and stand ready to take concrete action if conditions do not improve. Citizens are called upon to reconsider their behavior and actively contribute to protecting waters.