How much freedom for the river?
- Debate about the course of the Ahr
Created: 12/29/2021 Updated: 12/29/2021, 3:46 AM
After the flood disaster, the course of the Ahr in Altenahr changed.
© Thomas Frey / dpa
In the course of the deadly flood, the Ahr also changed its course.
New tributaries, new floodplain landscapes emerged - not everyone is happy about it.
Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler - The Ahr flood caused a lot of suffering with 134 fatalities - but with its changes in the course of the river it also offered ecological opportunities.
In the opinion of critics, these have not been used.
The flood protection has in some cases even been worsened.
In some places, the Ahr is narrower today than it was before the flood, says Cosima Lindemann, chairwoman of the Naturschutzbund (Nabu) Rhineland-Palatinate.
A rapid restoration of the previous river bed is understandable in localities.
Outside of town, however, opportunities have been wasted to combine nature conservation and flood prevention.
Flood in July
The extreme flooding of the Ahr on July 14th and 15th partially relocated the river bed and created new tributaries, says Lindemann.
These would have "a high ecological value" and could have a relieving effect in the event of floods.
Unfortunately, five and a half months after the catastrophe, nothing more can be found of these new structures: "tributaries have been filled in again and the river bed has largely been straightened."
The Hildesheim biology professor Wolfgang Büchs speaks of a "second destruction" of the river valley in places. First the Ahr got the space “that it actually needs” during flooding and created new floodplain landscapes. Then excavators and bulldozers would have drastically intervened during the clean-up work in an often uncoordinated "wild west manner". Ecologically valuable areas and retention areas for floods have been lost, the Federal Nature Conservation Act is being disregarded.
Joachim Gerke, the head of the department responsible for water bodies at the Structure and Approval Directorate (SGD) North in Koblenz, says that dredging in the river was essential in the beginning, for example to remove debris and destruction.
In the chaos of the first clean-up phase, “you can't just do an apprenticeship,” says the department head.
“Unfavorable things have also happened there.” It is a matter of balancing different interests - nature and flood protection, living and working space for residents.
More room for the river
According to Gerke, the main objective remains to give the Ahr more space.
"I also presented that to town councils." Some mayors have made suggestions straight away, "for example, to lower a meadow in the village".
According to the expert, however, coordinated supra-local action is necessary.
“You can't just make the Ahr sometimes wide and sometimes narrow.” A water development concept for the river should be available as soon as possible in the course of the new year.
The public purse is also buying up riverside areas with tax money.
more on the subject
No industrial operations: Doctors for new clinic financing
Astrakhan reveals Russia's treasures
Conservationists: Better protection of resting areas for waterfowl
The middle Ahr valley in particular is very narrow and steep.
This makes flood protection more difficult.
The Nabu state chairwoman, Lindemann, is calling for every opportunity to be used to give the river more space.
“That helps nature conservation, but ultimately also the people who live on the Ahr.” Dpa
