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"Disgraced" Walchensee? Citizens criticize low level - power plant operator rejects allegations

2022-05-03T10:01:32.113Z


"Disgraced" Walchensee? Citizens criticize low level - power plant operator rejects allegations Created: 05/03/2022, 09:58 By: Elena Royer Gives a sad picture: The Walchensee. Its level is lowered in the winter months. A spokesman for the Uniper Group, which operates the hydroelectric power plant, explains why this has to be the case. (Archive photo) © Strohe The discussion about the low water


"Disgraced" Walchensee?

Citizens criticize low level - power plant operator rejects allegations

Created: 05/03/2022, 09:58

By: Elena Royer

Gives a sad picture: The Walchensee.

Its level is lowered in the winter months.

A spokesman for the Uniper Group, which operates the hydroelectric power plant, explains why this has to be the case.

(Archive photo) © Strohe

The discussion about the low water level at Walchensee does not stop.

According to Uniper, there can be no question of historical lows, but there is still criticism.

Walchensee

– The Walchensee currently offers a dreary sight.

As reported, the level of the lake is very low at the moment.

After our reporting on it, readers contacted the editors who deal with this topic.

Among other things, they are of the opinion that the "extreme" lowering of the lake is not necessary.

A spokesman for Uniper, which owns the Walchensee power plant, comments on this.

Uniper: Lowering the Walchensee water level protects the Isar from water levels that are too low

"The management of the lake with the lowering in winter and a full lake in summer is subject to strict rules," explains Uniper spokesman Theodoros Reumüssel.

"They are set out in the water rights notices issued by the authorities." In principle, Uniper operates within the limits set by these notices.

The dramatic representations would not apply, because: "In the past few years, the deepest permissible winter lowering has not been approached by a long way." to raise the water level of the Isar in autumn and winter when the river bed is in danger of drying out due to little rainfall.

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Reumessel described the current water level as "normal" and "customary for the season".

A reader who wished to remain anonymous responded to this statement.

He believes that this year "the reduction is a little daring".

Reumessel notes: “There can be no question of an extraordinary or excessive drop, let alone historical lows.

It is well within the limits of the notice.”

Forum Walchensee: "Extreme level reduction not necessary"

The reader also thinks that the snow reserve is too low to ensure that the lake is filled without reducing the use of the power plant.

Reumüssel explains that the extent of the reduction will be coordinated with the responsible authorities.

The current snow reserve, the expected precipitation and water inflow are taken into account.

"Because the snow cover is not above average this year either, this year's lowering of the lake is far from the maximum permissible lowering target," emphasizes Reumüssel.

For several years, the "Forum Walchensee" - a group of citizens who live at the lake or in the region - has been dealing with the high level drop in the winter months.

"The extreme lowering of the lake is not necessary," say Henner Beermann and Ulrich Strobel, speakers of the forum.

They cite the following reasons for this: On the one hand, the large drop in the winter half-year is not necessary for flood protection, since torrential rain only occurs in summer and can be managed with a moderate level drop.

Model calculation: Lowering the Walchensee level is not economically necessary

It's the same with snowmelt.

"Measurement data show that the lake does not have to be lowered significantly beforehand for the meltwater.

In addition, the amount of snow is falling sharply.” Reumessel refers to the water management responsibility for safe management, which lies with Uniper and the responsible authorities.

"They also have the necessary expertise for this." Rainfall is also not a basis for assessment, explains Reumessel.

Heavy rain, on the other hand, would definitely fall in the alpine area at the same time as the meltwater flows in.

Thus, sufficient space must be guaranteed to hold back water in order to avoid dangerous flooding.

In addition, the Isar must also be filled with water.

The “Forum Walchensee” has also drawn up a model calculation which states that, from an economic point of view, it would make no difference for the group to lower the lake by just one meter instead of several.

For this purpose, the forum recorded water levels, precipitation, inflow and outflow quantities at Lake Walchensee and the associated amounts of energy from the Walchensee power plant and compared them with a corresponding list without lowering.

The result: The percentage of additional revenue due to the high level reduction in winter is only in the lower single-digit range.

"Of course we don't see the company's real figures," admits Beermann.

"But the bill is correct." It can be read by anyone at www.forumwalchensee.de.

View of the Walchensee "disfigured" in spring

"The relatively small profit is not in proportion to spoiling the view of the lake in spring," says Beermann.

Economic motives, assures Reumessel, would not play a role in the annual reduction.

"It's not about profit, it's about flood protection and the improvement of low water levels in the Isar."

As reported, the water rights at Lake Walchensee will expire in 2030.

The "Forum Walchensee" offers a good opportunity to make adjustments.

"We would like the reformulation of the contract to include lowering the water level by just one meter throughout the year." would be sacrificed in the winter half-year, it is difficult to imagine that the people bordering the Isar would be subject to these consequences.” He cannot imagine that these restrictions will become part of new requirements.

You can find even more current news from the region around at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-05-03

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