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Austerity measures for Lake Weßlingen

2023-06-07T13:12:04.586Z

Highlights: The municipality of Weßling has decided to suspend the mowing and aeration of the lake. The reason is the tight budget situation and the high energy costs. Mayor Michi Sturm: "People are afraid that the lake is now tipping over" The municipality asks for understanding for their approach – and for the citizens for donations.. Mowing boat has been used to cut off the plants at least two meters of water depth at least once a year. Since 2012, the municipality has had the lake cleared of creepers.



Mowing boat in action: Since 2012, the municipality has had the lake cleared of creepers. © Municipality of Weßling

Due to the tight budget situation, the municipality of Weßling has decided to suspend the mowing and aeration of Lake Weßling this year. The fountain has been out since autumn.

Weßling - fountain and mowing boat - they have been part of Lake Weßlingen for many years like the summer and the bathers. This year, however, the municipality is stepping on the brakes. Due to the tight budget situation and the high energy costs, the fountain is turned off, and the mowing boat is no longer to run. The reason is the financial situation of the municipality, which even asks for donations for its lake.

Of course, there have already been reactions from the citizenry. Mayor Michi Sturm said on Tuesday: "People are afraid that the lake is now tipping over. But the Weilheim Water Management Office has given the all-clear." He is in contact with experts who are also critical of mowing. Since the municipality had to take on about four million euros in debt this year to cover the budget, savings are urgently needed. "We already exhibited the fountain in autumn because of the energy crisis," explains Sturm. Apart from that, aeration is only useful in summer, when the water temperature at the water surface is higher than at depth.

The mowing and ventilation would cost about 20,000 euros each year. "With the increase in energy prices, the costs for this would probably have been significantly higher this year," Sturm estimates. The municipal council had thought long and hard about where savings could be made without worse effects for the population and had decided, among other things, to discontinue the aforementioned measures this year.

"This does not mean that the municipal council and the administration classify the lake as unimportant," the administration said in a statement on the website. The recreational value that Lake Weßlingen offers the population is of great importance. Therefore, the lake will of course continue to be maintained. "Appropriate funds have also been set aside in the budget for this purpose." Sturm speaks of up to 8000 euros. The municipality asks for understanding for their approach – and for the citizens for donations. "If you want, you are welcome to donate to the municipality's account at the VR-Bank for the aeration of the lake, so that this measure can be carried out again next year without any problems," the municipality notes. And provides the account number on the website: IBAN: DE70 7009 3200 0006 5051 63. It is imperative to indicate "sea ventilation" as the intended use.

The fountain in Lake Weßlingen: Oxygen has been pumped into the lake since the 1970s. © Municipality of Weßling

With an area of 17 hectares and a maximum depth of twelve metres, Lake Weßlingen is the smallest of the five lakes in the district of Starnberg. As a so-called isolated lake, it has no natural inflows or outflows and is fed by underground springs. In order to prevent the lake from tipping over, an oxygen pump was installed in the middle of the lake in the 1970s, today's fountain. It pumps oxygen-enriched compressed air into the lake and thus aerates the deep water. However, there is now also a ring sewer system, which ensures better water quality.

Aquatic plants, however, do not prevent all this from growing. Every year, tons of myriophyllum, also known as milfoil, are removed. A harmless aquatic plant, in which, however, one or the other swimmer has already become entangled. Since 2012, the mowing boat has been used to cut off the plants at least two meters of water depth at least once a year. This should also ensure that more light can penetrate into the deeper layers of water and that less rot forms due to dead plants. The fact that this may also promote growth again has always been a topic of discussion. Most recently, the Environment Committee decided to engage a company that cuts the plants at depths of up to ten meters. "You can still go swimming in Lake Weßlingen without hesitation," Sturm emphasizes. And hopes for a high willingness to donate: "Then we will be able to ventilate again in the long term."

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2023-06-07

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