As of: January 11, 2024 3:09 p.m
Experts warn of “flood dementia”: As soon as the floods have passed, we “forget” how urgently the dikes in Lower Saxony need to be raised and reinforced. Also on the Elbe.
When floods can occur and which regions will be particularly affected – this data is already on the table, says Torsten Schlurmann from the Ludwig Franzius Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and Estuarine and Coastal Engineering in Hanover. “We rarely have a problem of knowledge; we often have a problem of implementation.” The scientist warns: “I hope that after this event we will not fall back into a kind of ‘flood dementia’. Instead, lessons should be learned: Which protective devices worked and how? And which didn’t?” The Dannenberg Dike Association also hopes that the dike expansion on the Elbe will progress more quickly.
Disaster images: Was there something there?
Trees and bushes are in the water, the Elbe is right up to the dike. The water level at Hitzacker in the Lüchow-Dannenberg district is around six meters high, a medium flood. The employees of the Dannenberg Dike and Water Association have been regularly checking the Elbe dikes for two weeks. They are worried about a section of dike south of Hitzacker. In 2013, during the great Elbe flood, the river reached the top of the dike here. The situation is not that dramatic this year. Nevertheless: This section of the dike is a weak point.
VIDEO: What is the current flood situation in Lower Saxony? (5 mins)
The majority of the Elbe dikes need to be strengthened
The dikes between Wussegel and Damnatz were built between 1975 and 1981. They no longer meet current technical requirements and are more than a meter too low in places. “If a dike broke here, large parts of the Lüchow-Dannenberg district would be under water. The potential for damage would be enormous,” says Sven Ebeling, managing director of the Dannenberg Dike and Water Association. Figures from the NLWKN show: Of a total of around 230 kilometers of Elbe dykes in the Lüneburg and Lüchow-Dannenberg districts, around 180 kilometers do not meet current requirements.
Dike expansion is progressing slowly
In the past ten years, little has happened on the Elbe in terms of dike expansion. Why is that? Money is available. The Dannenberg Deich Association has 40 million euros at its disposal. The problem: approval processes take a long time. The dike association has been planning to expand the dikes south of Hitzacker since 2015. Ebeling criticizes too much bureaucracy and too high nature conservation requirements. The state government also recognizes the problem. “Flood protection must be a priority. We will employ additional staff and reduce bureaucracy in procedures,” promises Environment Minister Christian Meyer (Greens).
Further information
Emergency services and many volunteers are fighting the floods on the rivers in Lower Saxony. (01/11/2024) more
After days of rain, many bodies of water in northern Germany have overflowed their banks. You can find out current water levels here. (01/11/2024) more
Permanent frost causes flooded areas to freeze over in many places. But the ice layers are still far from being stable. (01/11/2024) more