Flood risk on the Elbe: Saxons in alarm mode on April 22, 2025!

Flood risk on the Elbe: Saxons in alarm mode on April 22, 2025!

On April 22, 2025, the authorities report on current flood warnings along the Elbe, which is one of the largest rivers in Europe. The Elbe rises in the Czech Republic and flows through significant cities in East Germany and Hamburg before it flows into the North Sea at Brunsbüttel. Important places such as Dresden, Dessau, Magdeburg and Wittenberge are currently paying special attention. The level values ​​of the Elbe are recorded regularly, with the values ​​for "medium low water" (MNW) and "medium flood" (MHW) being averaged over a certain period of time. The MNW at Schöna is currently 82 cm, while the MHW was measured in the same place at 505 cm. These values ​​date from the period from November 1, 2010 to October 31, 2020. For example, the highest water level of the Elbe near Schöna was astonishing 1204 cm on August 16, 2002, while on the contrary the lowest water level on January 6, 1954 was only 30 cm href = "https://www.saechsische.de/lokales/schoenau-hochwasser-oder-der-der-begel-am-22-2025-q7ntoiphdzdtbajx6is2j5suw4.html"> Saxon

In order to protect the population and the municipalities, there is a system of four alarm levels for floods in Saxony, which are proclaimed river sections by the responsible lower water authorities. These alarm levels are crucial to identify dangerous situations and take appropriate measures by the water defendants of the municipalities. The alarm levels are defined as follows:

• alarm level 1: Small flood - start of the excavation.
• alarm level 2: Medium flood - flooding from grassland and exhaust to the dike foot.
• alarm level 3: Large flood - flooding of individual properties, streets and cellars.
• alarm level 4: Very large flood - flooding of larger areas in built -up areas.

Warnings in floods are carried out by various institutions, including the federal government, countries, districts, police and fire brigade. The flood centers in every federal state play an important role in publishing current flood warnings, explains Environment Saxony .

Current challenges and solutions

The situation is tightened by climate change, which leads to increasingly hot sergeants in Germany. These changes often go hand in hand with less frequent but more intensive rainfall, which in turn can lead to severe floods. The flood atlas of the Federal Office for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG) offers valuable insights. This atlas combines various data records such as current flow of flow water, precipitation values ​​and precipitation for the coming days. Such information is crucial in order to better analyze current flood events. The flood atlas is available free of charge and is aimed at both authorities and the public, according to the website of BKG.