Critical flood situation: dams full, dykes fragile

Overlead - Critical flood situation: dams full, dykes fragile

In some flood areas the situation is easing, in others the most critical moments are yet to come. On the Elbe, for example, the highest water levels of the flood wave are expected during the course of Wednesday. The fight against flooding is also in full swing in southern Saxony-Anhalt.

Climate change is making extreme weather events more likely. Potsdam climate researcher Stefan Rahmstorf wrote on X on Christmas Eve: "Extreme precipitation is increasing worldwide and also here in Germany due to #global warming. Climate researchers have been warning about this for over 30 years; the data from weather stations has long since confirmed this."

Here is an overview of affected flood regions in Germany:

Saxony

The flooding of the Elbe in Dresden is approaching the second-highest alert level three. The decisive water level of six meters will probably be reached in the afternoon. On Wednesday morning, 5.86 meters were measured in Dresden, according to the state flood center in Dresden. However, the city of Dresden had already declared a level three alert on Tuesday evening.

Originally, the six-meter mark was expected to be reached in the morning. There was a slight delay, said Karin Bernhardt, spokeswoman for the state flood center. The rise in the water level depends on the melting snow in the Giant Mountains. In Schöne on the Czech border, a water level of 6.28 meters is already at alert level three.

According to the flood control center, all rivers in Saxony, with the exception of the Upper White Elster, are at flood warning levels.

Saxony-Anhalt

To protect Magdeburg and the surrounding communities from flooding, the Pretzien weir is raised. It ensures that around a third of the Elbe water is diverted into a 21-kilometer-long canal around Magdeburg and Schönebeck before it flows back into the river. The weir consists of 324 so-called sluice gates, each weighing 100 kilograms. The opening will begin on Thursday at around 10.00 a.m., the State Office for Flood Protection and Water Management announced on Wednesday. This will be the first time in ten years that the important flood protection system has been used again. The Pretzien weir was last opened in June 2013.

The district of Mansfeld-Südharz does not expect the flood situation on the Helme to worsen significantly. "At the present time, it can be assumed that no local areas will be flooded and therefore no further evacuations will be necessary," the district announced on Wednesday morning.

According to the latest information from the State Office for Flood Protection and Water Management (LHW), the capacity limit of the Kelbra reservoir was reached during the night. The inflow into the reservoir is declining, so a moderate rise in the water level of the Helme is expected over the course of Wednesday. The highest alert level four remains in place.

The dyke guards from the volunteer fire department and LHW are still on duty. Water levels are expected to remain high in the coming days. Fire departments and administrations are monitoring the situation in order to initiate further preparations and measures if necessary.

Thuringia

The flood situation in Thuringia has eased considerably as water levels have fallen. This is according to a situation report published by the State Office for the Environment, Mining and Nature Conservation on Wednesday. The report states that water levels have fallen everywhere.

In flooded Windehausen in northern Thuringia, a crisis team is discussing how to proceed in the town. The main question is whether and when people will be able to return to their homes, said a spokesperson. Windehausen in the district of Nordhausen was largely evacuated on Christmas Day and the residents were brought to safety. According to the spokesperson, there was still no electricity in the village on Wednesday morning.

Lower Saxony

The town of Rinteln on the Weser has lifted the evaluation of a road due to the threat of flooding. Residents have been able to return to their homes since Wednesday morning, the town council announced. Emergency services from the fire department secured the road on Wednesday night and set up a flood protection system provided by the state. More than 100 residents of the affected street had been evacuated on Tuesday because a dam was threatening to breach.

Days of continuous rain caused a tense flood situation in large parts of Lower Saxony over the holidays. Numerous rivers burst their banks and turned the surrounding areas into lake landscapes. Minister President Stephan Weil said on Tuesday evening: "The flood situation in Lower Saxony is very tense throughout the state." The Oker dam in the Harz Mountains is more than 100 percent full. More than twice as much water is being released into the Oker via the overflow of the dam wall than on normal days. The authorities do not expect the situation to ease in the next few days, despite the easing of the rain.

Hesse

The flood situation has also eased in Hesse. "With a general calming of the weather today, the flood situation in Hesse is gradually easing slightly," announced the Hessian State Agency for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology (HLNUG) on Wednesday. According to the report, water levels are tending to fall in many places. According to the authority, the Werra and Weser are currently still showing high water levels. They are expected to remain at a high level over the next few days with only a slow downward trend. Overall, the HLNUG expects the situation to ease further. However, more precipitation is expected at the turn of the year, which could lead to a renewed rise in water levels, it said.

Rhineland-Palatinate

The situation in Rhineland-Palatinate has eased further. There is currently no longer a flood situation, said a spokesman for the flood reporting service in Mainz on Wednesday morning. Only on the Rhine, Lahn and Sieg were the levels still above a flood, which statistically occurs every two years. "But we have falling trends everywhere." There could possibly be a rise again in the new year, but no dramatic situation is expected.

Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg

In Bavaria, Franconia, the Upper Palatinate and Lower Bavaria were particularly affected by the flooding. Flooded meadows, roads and parking lots were part of the landscape in many districts over the holidays. In addition to the safety measures, emergency crews were also deployed to provide assistance. For example, to flooded cellars, but also to a pensioner who ignored several barriers in his car and drove into the water. However, the situation has been easing noticeably since Tuesday.

This also applies to the Neckar, Kocher and Jagst rivers in Baden-Württemberg. The Main near Wertheim in the Main-Tauber district could still reach its peak on Wednesday, but there is no danger of flooding here.