World of the dikes: a farewell to Viktor Paeßens after 35 years!

World of the dikes: a farewell to Viktor Paeßens after 35 years!

The dike association Duisburg Xanten from Viktor Paeßens said goodbye in a festive framework, the long-time chairman, who now gives the reins out of his hand at the age of 70. On the occasion of the special opportunity, the dike association had invited around 120 guests to the River Lady to drive together across the Rhine and to honor Paeßen's merits. This ship tour not only offered a look at the beauties of the Rhine, but also the opportunity to reflect on the importance of flood protection in the region.

Viktor Paeßens looks back on an impressive career. For almost 25 years he led the Dicheverband Orsoy as a dike groom before he merged with the Poll association eight years ago. So Paeßens became the chairman of the new dike association Duisburg-Xanten. In total, he can look back on 35 years of committed work in the field of flood protection, in which he had a significant part and through which he made a significant contribution to protecting the area.

The dike association Duisburg-Xanten

The dike association Duisburg-Xanten plays an important role in the protection of people and property from Rhein floods. The support of the "compulsory members", ie the persons and institutions that are subject to flood protection, is particularly important. These members benefit from the construction and the maintenance of the flood protection dike. The association extends from Duisburg-Baerl to Xanten-Beek and includes the cities of Rheinberg, Wesel, Kamp-Lintfort, Moers and Duisburg. Information about current construction measures, topics such as the upcoming dike renovations or special appointments can be found on the website of the dike association.

The flood protection is particularly important because the landscape for rivers is strongly shaped by dike construction and drainage. According to the Federal Office for Nature Conservation, only 32% of the areas close to the bank are still available as floodplains, while the rest is used for agriculture or settlements. In areas that are particularly susceptible to floods, dikes are the main remedy to protect communities and areas. It is particularly alarming that many of these dikes are old and can break in extreme weather conditions.

forward -looking measures

As a solution to improve flood protection, flexible, so -called climate -like, which can adapt to changed climatic conditions are proposed. It is also recommended to use less sealed surfaces to improve water and get natural water. Future protection concepts also have to deal with the increase in sea level and reinforced waves. However, it is important to emphasize that 100 % protection against damage from floods is not possible, and therefore the forecast models must be continuously improved.

With the adoption of Viktor Paeßens it becomes clear how important it is to have committed people in flood protection. His successor faces the challenge of managing the constant changes and risks and continuing to ensure the security and protection of the region.