Northern Hesse: The level of the Edersee drops despite economy. This is a result of the drought. The tourist fleet on the Weser starts the season in Corona times.
- Water level in Edersee in northern Hesse drops
- The Edersee level drops as a result of the drought
- Tourist fleet on the Weser starts season in Corona times
The level in the Edersee has been falling slightly but visibly for weeks. The waste is a result of the drought alone, because the Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA) has so far not had to support the Weser because it was raining sufficiently in the catchment area of Werra and Fulda. Therefore, only the 6 cubic meters per second were drained from the Eder dam in North Hesse , which are prescribed as a minimum so that the environment in and on the Eder is not damaged.
Because only half of this amount - 3 cubic meters - flowed to the dam at the same time, the water level sank slowly and steadily despite the savings line. Now the process is accelerating. The WSA has been supporting the Weser for the first time in months since Thursday. Consequence: The level in the dam decreases faster.
Edersee in Northern Hesse: trigger line reached
The stand reached the “trigger line” on Saturday (May 16, 2020), so that Hann. Münden has been sparing again since then, with the result that the target level in the Weser is reduced by 5 centimeters. The tourist fleet on the Weser, which wants to start their season in Corona times late on Monday (May 18, 2020) , has to accept additional restrictions on their operations as well as gravel shipping.
Edersee in Northern Hesse: The winter half year
Once again it shows that the WSA can be economical in a winter with lots of rainfall: the North Hessian dam is too small to absorb the persistent drought in spring or summer. In the winter half-year, the office even dropped a minimum of 4 cubic meters per second in the course of an experiment over many weeks. Scientists evaluate whether nature in and on the Eder in northern Hesse can cope with it or is damaged.
For weeks, the office even held back more water in the dam in winter than the guidelines for flood protection actually provide. This strategy had a clearly positive impact on the numbers. Throughout the winter there were 30 to 35 million cubic meters more in the dam than the long-term average. That was still the case in February.
Edersee in Northern Hesse: The situation in spring
And now? The “trigger line” for more economical management was reached on Saturday because the level has now reached 10 million cubic meters below the long-term average. Many observers are surprised because in May there was rain.
But: while in winter, when plants hardly need water, 90 percent of the precipitation ends up in the lake, the relationship is reversed in spring. Nature awakens, everything grows, and so only 10 percent of the water flows from the sky into the dam in northern Hesse . If it is not rain, but showers or heavy rain, this rate is even leaner from the perspective of the Edersee.
Edersee in Northern Hesse: Patterns are emerging
This pattern has been stable for several years. Last but not least, the consequences can be observed in the forest. Spruce and beech trees die due to the drought that has occurred for years. Either because of the drought itself or because they no longer have anything to counter many pathogens because of the stress.
The picture is even more dramatic when dryness also rules in winter, as happened two years ago. Many experts agree that these weather extremes reflect climate change.
Edersee in Northern Hesse: Edersee-Atlantis with falling water level
Tourism on the Edersee: Because of Corona, everything stands still, a forecast for the summer is currently difficult, the tourism industry is waiting for a clear concept of politics.
Last year, water sports enthusiasts and the tourism industry in the region around the Edersee in northern Hesse were able to draw a positive balance in the Edersee despite a significantly lower water level.
* hna.de and wlz-online.de are part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.