Dürre alarm: Germany is struggling with the worst drought in 100 years!

Dürre alarm: Germany is struggling with the worst drought in 100 years!

Oberspreewald-Lausitz, Deutschland - The extremely dry times in Germany get us: In the spring of 2023, the country experienced a record of drought, such as Bild reported. From the beginning of February to the end of May, the precipitation has fallen to the lowest level since the weather records began. Particular attention is paid to the drought intensity in the soil, which can be measured to a depth of 25 cm.

The situation is so serious that almost all of Germany is shown by the Dürre Monitor of the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research as affected. Saxony in particular reflects this worrying situation, since 80 percent of the measuring points have strikingly low groundwater levels there. The big rivers, such as the Rhine, Elbe and Donau, also suffer from the dramatic low water, because the level of the Rhine fell to the deepest in mid -May.

irrigation settings and prohibitions

In order to master the water shortage, the German Association of Cities and Municipalities demands a ban on irrigation in leisure time. Several circles in Brandenburg have already prohibited the water withdrawal from above -ground waters. This also affects the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel and the Jerichower Land. In Dessau-Roßlau and in the district of Mansfeld-Südharz, strict irrigation regulations also apply.

In the Hanover region in Lower Saxony, irrigation at temperatures over 27 degrees is prohibited during certain times from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you don't stick to it, you have to expect sensitive fines. The administrations in other circles also consider generally provisions for water savings.

A look at the water strategy in Europe

But the drought is not an isolated phenomenon in Germany, but part of a major problem in Europe. According to DLG , other countries are also badly affected, and the EU Commission is already planning a water strategy to reduce water consumption and to raise awareness of water as an end. In Germany, the irrigated area grew between 2012 and 2022 from 0.37 to 0.55 million hectares, which means an increase of around 50 percent.

The trends are added to more weather extremes and extended drought times, which also lead to irrigation systems in agriculture. This could not only have far -reaching effects, but also globally, because around 70 percent of the water withdrawals worldwide are eliminated on agriculture. And the situation could still deteriorate: from 2070 up to 44 million Europeans could be affected by the lack of water.

an alarming view

The current situation not only affects agriculture, but also has far -reaching consequences for the environment and people. According to the WWF, 80 percent of the drought damage has already been recorded in the agricultural sector, which leads to great crop failures. And not only Germany, but also other European countries such as Italy and Spain are not immune to drought emergency stands, while in Portugal there are already measures to increase efficiency in water management.

Sustainable handling of water is required. For example, the Hanseatic city of Hamburg has proven that there is another way: care is taken to use the water more efficiently and to carry out protection against lack of water. Innovative irrigation techniques are needed to not only protect the resources, but also to support farmers in times of drought. The pressure on agriculture and cities to deal responsibly with this scarce resource will only grow in the coming years.

The round of decisions is initiated. Now it is at those responsible to show a good hand to effectively combat the water shortage.