Slower progress - Construction of floodplains in Bavaria is falling behind schedule

Inundation Occurs - Delayed construction of flood polders in Bavaria slows the process down

The Bavarian government has completed construction on two of the seven flood control projects intended to shield against severe flooding events, according to statements from the Munich-based Environment Ministry. "The Weidachwiesen polder is up and running and was recently utilized," a spokesperson remarked. "The Riedensheim polder is ready to go."

Projects of this complexity and size necessitate substantial planning and development, the Environment Minister, Thorsten Glauber (Free Voters) emphasized. There were earlier goals to finish all seven polders by 2020, as per a 2018 report from the State Office for the Environment on the flood polder program.

The leader of the Free Voters, Hubert Aiwanger, was previously a vocal opponent of 'titanic motorways' and 'absurd flood polders.' Back in their 2018 coalition agreement, the CSU and Free Voters chose to eliminate the planned large Danube polders at Bertoldsheim and Eltheim/Wörthhof, which had frustrated local residents. The Free Voters, Aiwanger, and the entire government now face accusations of neglecting flood protection. However, in 2021, the CSU/FW coalition reversed the decision and expanded the polder plan to include nine sites.

Both the Free Voters and Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) adamantly rejected these allegations, characterizing them as misleading narratives,

"Since 2001, we've invested four billion euros in flood protection and will spend an additional two billion by 2030," Söder said on Tuesday after a cabinet meeting. "Each year, we allocate a billion toward climate protection."

Söder was referring to the "Flood Action Program 2020," introduced by the then Environment Minister Werner Schnappauf (CSU) 23 years ago, on May 8, 2001. Remarkably, the state government has actually invested nearly twice the amount originally planned for flood protection.

Communities have experienced significant enhancements in flood safety as a result of these investments. Dikes have been revised, fire vehicle equipment has been acquired, and the Sylvenstein Dam on the Isar has been increased to safeguard Bad Tölz, Munich, Freising, and other cities.

However, the construction of flood polders has slowed down recently, despite these polders playing a vital role in shielding Bavaria from potential catastrophic Danube flooding. The cause of the delay is the strong objection from local residents. "Governing isn't a walk in the park, and that's why we need to put forth the effort," Söder responded.

Ever since 2001, experts have warned of the increased frequency and intensity of major flooding events. Munich Re, a reinsurer that records global natural disasters, supports this assertion. "The security of 120,000 people along the Danube is at stake, alongside damages exceeding €9 billion," Glauber, who also serves as Polder Commissioner, explained.

One of the key contributors to the increased flood risk is the burgeoning population in these areas. From 1994 to 2014, the population grew by around 10%, and continued growth is expected until 2034, as detailed in the State Office for the Environment's Polder Report.

Numerous communities along the Danube and its tributaries have designated building zones in flood-prone areas for years. Both nature conservationists and insurers believe that building in flood zones is going to result in sizable costs and human suffering. The German Insurers Association (GDV) is calling for a nationwide ban on construction in these areas. Söder, however, dismisses this idea.

The Danube has lost a substantial portion of its natural riverbanks over the past two centuries. The environmental office's report, now six years old, notes that between Neu-Ulm and Straubing, 300 million cubic meters of flood storage capacity were lost. Experts point out that, unlike the Rhine and Elbe rivers, the Danube already had several polders in place in the 1900s. Therefore, they conclude, "It makes sense to implement the floodplain program here as soon as possible."

Aiwanger, the Free Voters party leader, wasn't the only one who failed to achieve their target in 2020. The CSU government, without the Free Voters, had years ago postponed the goal of creating a debt-free Bavaria. Söder's previous promise of constructing 10,000 apartments by 2025 has not been accomplished either, with merely a small fraction built. The same is true of Bavaria's ambitious goal to achieve climate neutrality by 2040. Experts consider the allotted time frame for this promise to be quite challenging.

In summary, despite substantial investments in flood protection and other initiatives, challenges remain in meeting these goals, including the strong opposition from local communities.