Environment Minister announces program for clean streams

Saxony wants to improve the quality of flowing waters. "We have invested massively in the quality of our rivers and streams over the past five years. But too many bodies of water are still in a questionable condition. We have to change that," Environment Minister Wolfram Günther (Greens) told the German Press Agency and announced a "100 living streams for Saxony" program. It is intended to set clear goals for specific bodies of water and include model projects.

"We have renaturalized rivers up and down the country over the last five years. We have restored vibrant river landscapes between the Spree and Pleiße. We have reconnected old river branches. We have dismantled weirs and sills in many bodies of water so that aquatic life can once again use the entire watercourse," the Minister listed.

Above all, a lot of space has been reclaimed for natural flood protection - 1,781 hectares. This corresponds to around 2,500 soccer pitches. After the major floods in Saxony, this is an extremely important pillar alongside technical flood protection.

Municipalities should be better supported in the protection of water bodies.

"And we have finally made progress in saving Leipzig's alluvial forest. It now has more water again in important areas and, above all, the prospect of further improvements. This is because it is to become a major nature conservation project," explained Günther.

Water protection is about getting the municipalities on board even more as co-responsible parties. "This means that we, as the Free State of Bavaria, have to step up our game and we have to support the municipalities even more in improving the condition of the rivers and streams that are their responsibility."

Günther: Efforts to date are not enough

"The bottom line is that we have achieved a great deal. But that's not enough," said Günther. The pressure to act is high due to climate change and the extinction of species. There is a legal obligation under the European Water Framework Directive, which has been implemented with far too little political effort for two decades. "That's why we need a further-reaching program."

According to the ministry, more than 600 measures to improve the structure of water bodies and renaturation have been implemented since 2019. A good 33 million euros have been invested in the upgrading of water bodies and renaturation alone.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, there are 558 watercourses and 30 so-called standing waters in Saxony that are subject to reporting under the EU Water Framework Directive. The EU Water Framework Directive has been in force since 2000 and stipulates that watercourses and standing waters throughout the EU must be brought to a good ecological status by 2027.

According to the ministry, only just under 7 percent of watercourses and 43 percent of standing waters in Saxony are in a good ecological status. This puts it in the middle of the field nationwide.