Water withdrawal ban comes into force today in Vogelsbergkreis!

Water withdrawal ban comes into force today in Vogelsbergkreis!

The ongoing drought in Hesse is now also having a serious impact on water extraction. From July 5, 2025, a comprehensive ban on the abstraction of water from surface waters will come into force. The focus is on the districts of Vogelsberg, Fulda and Werra-Meißner, which have decided in the last few days to take this measure into account. The Vogelsbergkreis has already published the general order and makes it clear that both private garden irrigation and agricultural uses are affected by this ban.

The decision to take such measures is no coincidence. In particular, the upper reaches of the streams and rivers only carry little water, which could lead to feared environmental damage due to the low rainfall in the region. The ban was introduced to prevent further endangerment of nature. Violations of this regulation can be punished with severe fines of up to 100,000 euros. That reports Upper Hesse-live.

Water withdrawal bans in several districts

The drought doesn't just affect the Vogelsberg district. A similar ban was also issued in the Werra-Meißner district, prohibiting the withdrawal of water from rivers and lakes. Scooping and pumping for public use are expressly excluded, although the Werra, as a first-class body of water, is excluded from this regulation. A look at the water levels in northern and eastern Hesse shows that they are critical, which underlines the warnings from the regional councils in Kassel and Darmstadt. The general discharge volumes are below the long-term average, as documented by the Hessian State Office for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology (HLNUG). Has details on these developments tagesschau.de compiled.

Compliance with these rules is the responsibility of the lower water authorities of the respective districts and independent cities. Giessen was the first district in Central Hesse to take such a step. The aim here is to stabilize the natural water levels and to protect the existing bodies of water, animals and plants. Another ban from the Fulda district shows that the measures must be applied more broadly in order to avoid the damage to the environment caused by the drought. District head Patrick Krug (SPD) also emphasizes that the upper reaches of many streams are already almost dry.

Overall, there is hope that widespread and persistent rainfall can improve the situation on surface waters. The use of water management and the responsible use of our water resources are now more in demand than ever. You can also find comprehensive information about the situation and the measures taken at hessenschau.de.