Dead fish in Burgsteinfurt: Alarm about polluted waters!

Dead fish in Burgsteinfurt: Alarm about polluted waters!

In Burgsteinfurt, a recent fish die-off is causing excitement among anglers. In the evening they discovered dozens of dead fish in the Aa, after thousands of animals died in the region in June. A possible connection could be with heavy rain, which washed some fertilizers into the water, which affected the sensitive ecosystem of the Aa, reports WDR. The Lower Water Authority of the Steinfurt district is now confronted with demands for clarification and has already admitted that harmful substances could get into the water.

Particularly explosive are the reports from anglers in Wettringen who had to complain about similar incidents at the end of May and June and who have already filed a complaint against unknown persons. A worrying situation was also reported in Warendorf on Wednesday: fish died in a stream here, which led residents to inform the state fishing association. Biologist Carsten Nolting notes that such incidents are no longer isolated cases and point to the sometimes serious effects of climate change.

Climate change and its consequences

But what exactly is happening here? Climate change not only affects temperature, but also the overall water balance. In inner-city areas, the high amounts of rainfall often do not remain in the ground, leading to flooding and the well-known drainage problems. Sealed surfaces that are no longer able to absorb rainwater exacerbate this problem. These mixed sewer systems are often not designed for the sudden amounts of water that occur. Wastewater contaminated with pollutants and nutrients often flows into the waterways untreated, which not only damages the ecosystems, but can also endanger the health of people who want to bathe in the waters, as BUND states.

Lake Aasee is also affected, as it has reached a tipping point and where employees were no longer able to detect oxygen during a measurement. This could have fatal consequences for the fish and other organisms living there. Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Meyer, head of the Limnology Department at the University of Münster, suggests continuously monitoring the temperature and oxygen concentrations in order to be able to react early to the need for action. Algae blooms, particularly the problematic blue-green algae, have already appeared in certain areas of the banks, further complicating the situation.

Discuss options for action

In order to minimize damage in the future, a round table is needed where various actors come together. It's about both recording the stocks and developing sustainable management strategies. Experts warn: Extreme heat events will increase in the coming years and the need for efficient biomonitoring and measures to reduce nutrient inputs will become more urgent.

The discussion about stocking Lake Aasee with new fish after the winter is also ongoing in order to stabilize the ecological conditions again. The key to a healthy water landscape lies, not least, in sensitive and proactive observation of climatic changes and the respective conditions. How the current situation will develop remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that there is a lot at stake.