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Dramatic drought in Upper Franconia: streams reach historic lows!
Persistent drought in Wunsiedel: Water shortage threatens ecosystems, experts call for urgent measures to save them.
Dramatic drought in Upper Franconia: streams reach historic lows!
Currently, persistent drought and a severe heat wave are causing a worrying drought in Bavaria. The districts of Hof, Wunsiedel and Kulmbach are particularly affected, where the streams only carry minimal amounts of water. The ecological situation has now reached a critical threshold, as the water management authorities warn. A call for caution was made: water should no longer be taken from small bodies of water in order to conserve resources, such as Frankenpost reported.
However, the drought is not just limited to Upper Franconia. The Helmholtz Center's drought monitor shows alarming values in many regions of Bavaria: around 95% of the river measuring points and 56% of the groundwater measuring points near the surface currently show “low conditions”. Richard Mergner, chairman of the Federation for Nature Conservation, pointed out that the soil is increasingly drying out and groundwater is continuing to decline. Disastrous consequences that we cannot ignore, like this idowa determines.
A new normal?
Mergner's assessment is clear: The combination of heat waves and drought has become a new normal in Bavaria, and the Free State appears to be inadequately prepared. Despite a rainy summer last year, there is currently little prospect of the water situation recovering. The forecast future is worrying, as a massive water shortage is likely for all of Bavaria n-tv reported.
The causes of this alarming situation include the rapid drainage of water, the sealing and compaction of soils, and the overuse of water resources. Mergner is therefore calling on the state government to finally take measures to restore the storage capacity of the Bavarian landscape. His suggestions include the renaturation of rivers and streams and the promotion of structures that slow down runoff. The introduction of a water cent was also brought into play to ensure a more sustainable use of water.
Action is required
Understanding that the water crisis was created by human activity is crucial. Political will is needed to combat this development. It is time for us to intensively address the challenges facing our water supply and develop sustainable solutions to secure our valuable water supply.
The challenges that nature presents us should be seen as an incentive. Together we could take the first steps towards a better and more sustainable use of our water resources. It’s in our hands – and the time to act is now!