Water alarm in the Wolfenbüttel district: Drought forces drastic rules!

Water alarm in the Wolfenbüttel district: Drought forces drastic rules!

In the last few weeks, the discussion about water shortages in Germany has become increasingly louder, and not without reason. The Wolfenbüttel district has issued a water alarm due to the ongoing drought. This means that from now until September 30th, citizens are not allowed to withdraw water from surface waters, even if they have a water permit. Pumps in particular are affected by this ban, so residents have to rethink their approach. The bans are not just words, but they reflect the alarming reality: the water levels in rivers and streams are worryingly low, underlined by current measurements from the State Hydrological Service.

The German Weather Service reports an exceptional drought, which was the driest period since 1931 from the beginning of February to mid-April 2025. March 2025 is particularly dramatic: with only 21% of the precipitation compared to the reference period 1991-2020, it was classified as the sixth driest March since 1881. At around 48 l/m², May only brought about 68% of the usual amount from 1961 to 1990, while the previous winter was also too dry overall. The situation is tense in many regions of Germany, especially in the north and northeast - there was only 9 l/m² of precipitation in March, which further exacerbates the problem.

A look at the effects of drought

The effects of the extreme drought are diverse and affect not only water supplies, but also agriculture and ecosystems. According to that CONVENTION Rising temperatures and many hours of sunshine have led to rapid evaporation, and water stress has now risen to 10.1% in Germany. This means we need to use over half of renewable water resources efficiently, while more focus should be placed on irrigated agriculture, which accounts for only 2.5% of total water withdrawals.

The reality is particularly harsh in urban areas. Strategies to improve soil moisture and retain rainwater are now very popular in many cities, as sealed areas often have major drainage problems during heavy rainfall. The Federal Environment Agency reports that overflows in mixed sewer systems lead to wastewater contaminated with pollutants and nutrients entering bodies of water. This endangers not only human health, but also ecosystems.

What's next?

The authorities are now examining further measures to regulate water consumption and encourage citizens to use water sparingly. Penalties for violations of the current regulations in Wolfenbüttel have not yet been specified, while in Hanover fines can already be imposed for disregarding irrigation bans. It will certainly be a challenge for farms and gardeners to irrigate their crops under these conditions, as abstraction from groundwater is also prohibited for various areas from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Current developments show that climate change has a direct impact on our water balance and adapting to these challenges is becoming more important than ever. Residents are therefore urged to use effective irrigation methods and reconsider their water consumption. In the hope of early rainfall, it remains to be seen whether the measures will be enough to defuse the situation.