Glauchau (dpa/sn) – The dike removal on the Zwickauer Mulde was completed on Friday in the Wernsdorf district of Glauchau. In the Hofaue area on the right bank of the river, the dyke was removed over a length of around one kilometer, the Ministry of the Environment announced on Friday. In this way, the river has more space in case of flooding. The project started in October 2021 and cost around 1.8 million euros.
“In Saxony we have had painful experiences with floods over the past 20 years. Floods of the same frequency and intensity as in the past two decades have shown us that the climate crisis has hit Saxony with full force,” said Environment Minister Wolfram Günther (Greens) . He also cited droughts and low water as evidence. It’s about taking action.
“Saxony’s rivers have been narrowed and straightened in many places. This becomes a problem both during floods and in times of drought. We are therefore giving the rivers in Saxony more space again. This prevents flood damage. And that strengthens biological diversity,” emphasized the minister.