The rudd is back: Emscher is blooming after over 100 years!

The rudd is back: Emscher is blooming after over 100 years!

After more than a century, the rudd, a schooling fish, is back in North Rhine-Westphalia. This return was observed in the Emscher, a river that was long inaccessible to fish. For over 100 years, a five-meter-high concrete drop at the mouth of the Rhine had turned the Emscher into a “one-way fish street,” as WDR describes it. Thanks to the extensive renaturation work carried out by the Emschergenossenschaft, it is now possible for the rudd to reach the river and settle and reproduce there again.

The Emscher, once a biologically dead canal for almost 100 years, served primarily as a sewage drain. But since the end of 2021, wastewater has no longer flowed openly into the Emscher. The natural redesign has brought fresh life into the water: clean sections and modern sewage treatment plants have been created, which means that experts see the return of the rudd as a positive sign for the river's recovery. How exactly the fish got into the Emscher remains a mystery. Possible routes could be the mouth of the Rhine or natural tributaries, but the risk of illegal occupation of fish could not be ruled out, which could endanger local ecosystems, such as Ruhr24 highlights.

A successful renaturation process

The Emschen renaturation is an ambitious project that took over 30 years to complete. During this time, the last 500 meters in both directions of the river were redesigned, which led to the return of habitats and over 30 fish species to today's “Köttelbecke”. In an area from Dinslaken to Voerde, the results of the renaturation are already showing positive changes. The nature conservation organization DUH emphasizes how important natural flowing waters are for biological diversity and various ecosystem services.

The current situation of the Emscher could serve as a model for further renaturation projects in Germany. After all, around 92 percent of German water bodies are in a critical condition, often destroyed by humanoid interventions such as straightening and pollutant discharges. The EU Water Framework Directive has set the goal of bringing rivers into good status by 2027. Even if technical measures such as dismantling bank protection and widening river beds may be necessary, it is essential to ensure that the renaturation takes place in harmony with the local population.

The return of the rudd is not only a positive sign for the condition of the Emscher, but also for future renaturation projects throughout the country. The hope for more vibrant rivers and positive development of local waters grows with every successful step in the recovery of our natural resources.