The on-site appointments of the Munich Water Management Office in Erding have consequences: The authority takes up some of the citizens' ideas and reschedules the flood protection measures.
Erding
- The water management office keeps its word: Some suggestions from the citizens are taken into account in the flood protection plans for the city of Erding.
That's what its director Christian Leeb said in an interview with our newspaper.
Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber (FW) has turned down the invitation of several city council groups to Erding - at least for the time being.
In March 2020, the water management office made its U-turn public: Erding should not, as previously favored, be protected from 100-year floods of the Sempt by a large retention basin near Niederwörth, but with walls and dykes, i.e. a linear expansion.
The authorities also rejected a near-natural protection with nine retention basins in the upper reaches.
The protest in Erding was great.
In Altenerding in particular, residents of Sempt fear being cut off from the river.
As a result, in the autumn of last year the office invited five so-called flood walks to present its new plans at different sections of Sempt and Fehlbach.
The main arguments were that a recalculation had shown that a retention basin was too ineffective and too expensive.
In addition, the protection must be implemented where it should take effect.
The participants were asked to suggest improvements.
This dialogue could now be crowned with success.
Authority head Leeb reports that “we will take up some suggestions in the next planning step”.
The arguments of the Langengeislingers were probably the most stinging, in the north of the city there could be the most far-reaching changes.
"We are now coordinating our plans with the railways regarding the closure of the S-Bahn ring", assures Leeb.
You are in contact with DB and its engineering office.
“We can imagine that the railway embankment can also be used as a dam or to drain off water,” says Leeb.
In addition, one investigates whether the Sempt could not go over specifically to the west / Kronthaler Weiher as in earlier times.
“Both of these could mean that we do not need any dams or only smaller dams on Fehlbachstraße,” says Leeb.
It is still tricky to guide the flood towards Altham / Eichenkofen back into the Sempt.
In Altenerding, according to Leeb, there is also the chance of doing without walls and dykes or building them much smaller.
"The city of Erding is currently examining whether the flood protection can also be ensured with mobile boards." That would come into consideration above all on Landgerichtstrasse, "because you can get to the shore there with trucks".
In Bergham, too, the water management office is examining whether a dam in the direction of Pretzener Straße can be built in such a way that the residents are affected as little as possible.
Leeb reports that they are now preparing for the design and approval planning.
For this, subsoil investigations are necessary.
“Then we want to get in contact with the citizens again, either online or in face-to-face events.
This is due to the development of the corona pandemic. "
For the time being, Bavaria's Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber wants to be left out.
All city council groups except the CSU and AfD had invited him to Erding in a joint letter to talk to him about planning changes.
But Glauber will not come.
In the reply that our newspaper was able to see, Glauber is behind the planning of the water management office subordinate to him.
On request, his spokeswoman said: The linear expansion "represents the technically best variant. In contrast, a hydraulic simulation has shown that no flood protection can be achieved through renaturation measures in the catchment area of the Sempt before a centenary event." Dialogue - hardly any city council members took part in the walks - and the opportunity to make suggestions even now.
In principle, Glauber does not turn his back on Erding.
The ministry is offering the city council "after the corona-related contact restrictions have been lifted to support it in bringing the suggestions for improvement from the citizens' initiative to an appointment with the water management office," said the spokeswoman.
Mayor Max Gotz (CSU) never thought much of the letter.
He was also critical of the advance of BI Natural Flood Protection with a petition to the state parliament.
The powder was shot too early, he says.
Gotz relies on the Sempt alliance with neighboring communities.
Gotz recently explained in an interview with our newspaper that it takes unanimity and negotiating skills to bring about changes on the political path.
