Fish crisis: Water withdrawals endanger our waters!

Fish crisis: Water withdrawals endanger our waters!

A worrying signal from the world of waters: The upper water authority of the regional council (RP) Kassel calls for saving water withdrawals from rivers and streams. The situation is particularly tense in North and East Hesse. Low drains and rising water temperatures burden the living conditions for fish and other water organisms. This becomes increasingly critical, since small waters in particular are affected by this problem. Additional water withdrawals could endanger their chances of survival, such as [rp-kassel.hessen.de] (https://rp-kassel.hessen.de/presse/die-obere-wasserbe-des-d-kassel-zum-Schraenken-von-Wasser withdrawal-0) reported.

President Mark Weinmeister appeals to all citizens to act responsibly. He warns that the small waters should be dispensed with without permission -free water withdrawals in the context of the residual use. Even on larger waters such as the Fulda, Weser and Werra, water withdrawals are only permitted up to a certain limit in order not to significantly influence the outflows. Accordingly, property owners may find a maximum of ten liters per second and up to 1,000 cubic meters per year without having to obtain a permit, unless the drain is not significantly reduced.

meaning of the regulations

The Water Household Act (WHG), which is considered the central rules in German water law, determines the cornerstones for the protection and preservation of water as a basis of life and habitat. Among other things, it regulates water withdrawals and the introduction of fabrics into water. The last amendment of the WHG, which came into force in June 2020, focuses heavily on the protection of waters from loads, in particular through agriculture. In order to prevent nutrient drains, buffer strips of five meters around surface waters must be observed, as wirtschaftswissen.de emphasized.

To protect the waters, the users are called to avoid adverse changes in the water properties and use water sustainably. Lower water authorities have the right to restrict or even exclude the permission -free use to protect the natural balance. Special requirements apply here for the regulations on the abstract permits and permits that define the respective area of application and include specific restrictions.

ecological necessity

The condition of the waters themselves is influenced by numerous factors, including precipitation, evaporation, the morphology of the waters and the water withdrawals. These conditions are evaluated to focus on ecological concerns. The information on the hydromorphological condition of the waters and their continuousness provide information about the areas of action. The focus is not only on quantitative water levels, but also the quality of the water structure plays a crucial role, such as environmental federal office.de explains

Overall, the health situation of the waters and its environment depends heavily on the type and intensity of human interventions. A sustainable handling of the water resources is therefore not only a requirement of the hour, but also a question of responsibility towards nature and future generations. The water authorities will continue to observe the situation and are ready to take concrete measures if the conditions do not improve. Citizens are asked to rethink their behavior and actively contribute to the protection of the waters.