Schwerin (dpa / mv) – The dam and weir systems for regulating the water levels in the landscape in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are largely dilapidated. This emerges from the response of the Schwerin Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment to a small query from the AfD parliamentary group in the state parliament.
According to the ministry, the water and soil associations evaluated the condition of 3591 of the 7016 dam and weir systems in the northeast in a query. The result: “More than half of the systems (around 51 percent) are in an insufficient to unsatisfactory condition and immediate repair or replacement is required.” The refurbishment requirement for these systems is estimated at 252 million euros.
For 2,048 of these systems, the associations have assessed whether they are still fulfilling their task – the targeted damming and draining of water. “In 16 percent (339) of the systems, the ability to regulate is impaired and in 22 percent (444) the raising of the water level or the regulation of the discharge are significantly impaired,” it said.
AfD environmental politician Thore Stein described the situation on Friday as “almost shocking”. The question arises as to how water management should work in the area if a large part of the technical systems required for this only function to a limited extent.
Weirs and ditch systems should regulate the water level. Since the summer droughts have been increasing, those responsible have been obliged to hold back water in a targeted manner during rainy periods and not to let it run off. Stein called on Environment and Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) to bring the hydraulic engineering infrastructure into a sustainable condition “as soon as possible”. He announced that he wanted to bring the issue to the agricultural committee of the state parliament.
