Flood protection on the Upper Rhine: Approval for retention area completed!

Flood protection on the Upper Rhine: Approval for retention area completed!

A long-awaited project has finally received the green light: the Freiburg regional council has welcomed the planning approval decision for the Wyhl/Weisweil flood retention area. This decision, issued by the Emmendingen District Office, marks the end of a complex process that took almost seven years. The aim of this retention area is to better protect people and infrastructure on the Upper Rhine from flooding, and it plays a central role in the Integrated Rhine Program (IRP).

The engineering office looked back on over 30 years of planning, which was characterized by intensive dialogue with the affected communities - including Sasbach, Wyhl, Weisweil and Oberhausen (Rheinhausen community). The concerns and interests of the region were taken into account. Discussions focused on, among other things, the flow through sluices and ecological flooding.

Flood protection in focus

Once completed, the new flood retention area can retain up to 7.7 million cubic meters of water and thus makes a significant contribution to flood protection for those downstream from the Rhine. This step is part of an all-encompassing plan: The Integrated Rhine Program aims not only at retaining flood waves, but also at reclaiming former flood areas between Basel and Mannheim. The program is conditional on a contractual agreement between France and Germany to reduce the risk of flooding in the areas affected by the straightening of the Rhine, as highlighted on baden-wuerttemberg.de.

The flood retention areas are part of the national flood protection program, which has been in force since 2015. This program provides financial support for national flood protection projects, which benefits the safety of many people in the immediate vicinity of the Rhine. Wikipedia states that the total amount of retention measures covers up to 126 million cubic meters, which shows the commitment of the riparian states.

Regular information for residents

During the construction phase, the regional council will regularly inform everyone involved about progress, milestones and planned information events, such as the “open construction site days”. It is important that residents remain involved in the planning and can actively exchange information about the status of the project.

This is an extremely pleasing step towards security on the Upper Rhine. The Wyhl/Weisweil flood retention area not only creates concrete protection against flooding, but also pursues a sustainable concept for the region. Further information about the IRP is available on the official website of the state of Baden-Württemberg: rp.baden-wuerttemberg.de.