The reallocation of the water rights for the Walchensee power plant is a concern for Karl Probst.
The chairman of "Save the Isar Now" sees an opportunity in the nationalization of Uniper.
Lenggries
– "Time is of the essence," said Karl Probst.
At the club's annual press event on Friday, he put the pressure on.
There is a lot to do before the end of the water usage rights in autumn 2030.
One of the main demands of "Save the Isar Now": more water for the Rißbach.
For more than 70 years, the wild river has been drained into the Walchensee via an underground tunnel to generate electricity.
The river bed below the weir at the Oswaldhütte is almost completely empty all year round.
That has to change, Probst demanded together with his deputies Stefan Klaffenbacher (mayor of Lenggries) and Michael Lindmair (second mayor of Bad Tölz).
Club hopes for more water for the Rißbach
How much water will one day flow again in the Rissbach cannot yet be foreseen.
The association demands as much as possible.
As little as possible – what the power plant operator wants.
In order to be able to determine an ecologically sensible amount, tests have to be carried out. "It's high time for that," said Probst.
That cannot be accomplished in a few months, but will take years to get reliable figures for the minimum outflow.
"Unfortunately, nothing is happening here, although we keep asking for it," Probst said angrily.
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The riverbed of the Rißbach is empty almost all year round: A view from the "Risser Bankerl" on the gravel landscape at Vorderriß (bottom left).
© Alois Ostler
In terms of attachment management, they are not much further along either.
The working group to which the mayor of Lenggries belongs deals with the question of how and where the gravel that is deposited at the power plant in Krün is removed.
From there, a large part of the Isar is diverted via a canal and a tunnel to the Walchensee to generate electricity.
Since 1990, after a long struggle to “save the Isar now”, a fixed residual amount has been flowing from Krün through the old riverbed again.
"That was our club's greatest success to date," said Probst.
Municipalities should benefit more from profits from power plants
Now you have the partial return line of the Rissbach in mind.
This river bed also thirsts for water.
According to Probst, in order to be able to achieve the stubborn goals, “maximum public participation” is required.
In the spring, the district office had already brought the environmental organizations on board.
That's not enough.
The whole public needs to be made aware.
Probst has other demands from the association on the agenda.
"We need a clear allocation of costs," he said.
Anyone who causes damage to the environment must also pay for it.
Whether with the Isar derivation in Krün or the discharge at the Sachsensee, the operators are not responsible enough.
That has to change.
With the buzzword regionalization, Probst is putting his finger in another wound.
"Anyone who suffers disadvantages through the operation of the power plant must have financial advantages," he demanded.
It cannot be the case that the municipalities of Lenggries and Kochel am See have to repeatedly pay trade tax back because the power plant operator declares its profits elsewhere.
The political and financial participation must be regulated in such a way that the tax to be paid remains on site.
Wish: Walchensee power plant back into state hands
The latest developments present a great opportunity.
The nationalization of the previous power plant operator Uniper is costing the German taxpayer “an insane amount of money”.
But if the company is now state-owned, then politicians can have a say in the new licensing process.
The Bavarian Prime Minister had to negotiate with the federal government that the company would come back into Bavarian hands.
"Unfortunately, this power plant was privatized," says Probst.
Until 1994 it belonged to the Free State and thus to the citizens.
Now there is a chance that the state will take over this important public service again.
Probst recently wrote an open letter to the state government about this.
The state does not have to operate the power plant itself, but as the owner it can have a decisive influence on what should happen.
The association agreed that "a good solution for the environment and the energy supply has to be found".
The demand from "Save the Isar Now" for more residual water should not be stalled at the present time with the argument: We need every kilowatt of electricity.
According to Probst, one should not allow oneself to be guided by short-term aspects.
Lindmair agrees: "Especially in times of crisis, you have to make sustainable decisions."
You can find more current news from the region around Bad Tölz at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.