Alarm level for the Main: Warning of critical water temperatures!

Alarm level for the Main: Warning of critical water temperatures!

The summer heat not only brings sun and fun, but also challenges for water ecology - this is now evident in the Main, more precisely in the registration area 1, which extends from the state border to Hesse near Kahl to Würzburg. As the Miltenberg district office reports in a current press release, the warning level "Warning" was pronounced by the government of Lower Franconia. This decision is made due to the persistently warm and dry weather conditions, which considerably stresses the ecological conditions in the Main.

measures and information obligation

In order to avoid further loads for the water, all additional interventions in the Main, such as sludge clearance or dredging, are prohibited in the registration area 1 - unless they are necessary for the safety and lightness of traffic. The district office has all direct directors, including sewage treatment plants and industrial companies, asked to remain informed and act responsibly.

For the neighboring registration area 2, which extends from Würzburg towards Bamberg, an internal warning level is currently valid. This warning system is part of the alarm plan Main Ecology (AMÖ), which is dedicated to the early detection of ecologically critical situations. The aim is to sensitize the users of the waters and the public and, if necessary, take measures promptly. The evaluation of the ecological conditions is based on solid threshold values ​​for water temperature, oxygen and drainage as well as through expert assessments.

long -term trends

But the current situation is not the only problem - the Bavarian waters have become warmer in recent decades. Higher air temperatures and human uses in particular help to continuously increase the water temperatures. According to an analysis, the average temperature of the flow water between 1991 and 2010 increased by 0.6 ° C compared to 1971 to 2000. Another trend is evident in the increasing number of days when the water temperature rises above 21.5 ° C - this is now about four days a decade.

The challenges that result from increasing temperatures are diverse. Higher water temperatures not only lead to stress in water organisms, but can also influence the entire ecological balance. The alarm plan offers an important framework here to act preventively and to protect the waters in the future.

For further information on the warning levels and the alarm plan Main, a visit to the website of the government of Lower Franconia or the Adaptation management of the Bavarian environmental authorities. The Bavarian State Institute for the Environment also has extensive information on the development of the water temperatures.