Millions invested in safe flood protection in Jerichower Land

Millions invested in safe flood protection in Jerichower Land

Floods not only threaten the idyll along the Elbe, but also repeatedly require massive investments in flood protection. A current example is the renovation of the dike near Hohenwarthe, which resulted in an investment of 210 million euros. Environment Minister Armin Willingmann and the director of the State Office for Flood Protection and Water Management (LHW), Martina Große-Sudhues, recently took a look at the construction progress and emphasized the necessity of these measures. A lot has changed in the region since the devastating floods of 2002 and 2013.

The renovation not only saves money, but also significantly improves flood protection. The work on the dike, which will be raised over a length of 1.2 kilometers and renovated in accordance with DIN standards, is expected to be completed next year. The new dike will be designed as a three-zone dike, equipped with a water- and land-side berm and a dike defense path. In addition, the connection to the Niegripper dike will ensure even more stability in the region. It is already clear that the efforts in recent years have been worthwhile, as evidenced by the improvement in flood protection in this area.

A project with vision

The dike renovation is part of the comprehensive state strategy “Stable in Climate Change”, which aims at long-term flood protection in Saxony-Anhalt. Around 17,000 cubic meters of material from the old dike will be reused, while an additional 50,000 cubic meters must be delivered. This sustainable approach is particularly important in order to minimize the ecological footprint of the measures.

Along with the dike renovation, replacement plantings and the reactivation of an inland dune near Gommern are also planned as compensatory measures. These not only show the commitment to flood protection, but also to nature conservation and biodiversity in the region. The winter flood of 2023/2024 was described as an endurance test that once again underlined the need for such measures.

Long-term strategies and programs

But the work on the dike is only part of a larger plan. The Ministry of Science, Energy, Climate Protection and the Environment of the State of Saxony-Anhalt (MWU) launched the state program “More Space for our Rivers” in 2016 to further advance flood protection. This program was updated in 2020 and is now titled “River, Nature, Life – Task for Generations”. The implementation includes 34 measures for relocating dikes and flood polders on various bodies of water, which are estimated to cost more than half a billion euros.

Collaboration between different organizations and authorities is another step towards developing effective solutions. A “model compensation agreement” was recently drawn up to take into account the interests of all parties involved. This approach ensures that flood protection is improved not only in the short term, but also sustainably.

In total, Saxony-Anhalt has invested over 137 million euros in flood protection in the Jerichower Land since 2002, which also provides a positive outlook for the future. The region is not only better protected, but also benefits from the ecological measures that are being taken to accompany the dike renovation.

For further information about the current flood protection projects and measures in Saxony-Anhalt, those interested can visit the LHW website, where explanatory videos on the topics are also offered. A look at the results of the past few years clearly shows that we are currently thinking and acting in a forward-looking way.