Cottbus releases strict water withdrawal ban-drought escalated!

Cottbus releases strict water withdrawal ban-drought escalated!

Cottbus, Deutschland - The water shortage in Brandenburg has now become an urgent topic. In Cottbus, the city administration has issued a ban on water withdrawal from rivers and lakes. This ban applies daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and was put into force by general order. Citizens can read the details on the city's homepage. As rbb24.de , the state authorities have signaled that the ban may be expanded soon.

Not only the city of Cottbus is affected: similar removal bans apply in four other circles of the southern Brandenburg. These include the districts of Dahme-Spreewald, Spree-Neisse, Oberspreewald-Lausitz and Elbe-Elster. Especially in the Spree-Neisse region, the ban concerns the entire catchment area of ​​the Spree, including the cities of Spremberg and Drebkau as well as numerous surrounding municipalities. At the same time, the water withdrawal ban in the Dahme-Spreewald is extended to cities such as Lübben and Luckau as well as their official areas.

dryness and their effects

The cause of these drastic measures lies in the currently low water levels of the surrounding rivers. The Elbe-Elster-Kreis provides insightful information and speaks of "historically low drains" at the Black Elster, which has suffered greatly from drought stress in recent years and needs water from surrounding lakes to stabilize. Level 2 of the low water concept also runs, which should regulate the situation especially in the middle Spree area.

statistics of the German Weather Service (DWD) draw a dark picture: Germany has experienced the driest months since 1931 from February to April 2025. March was particularly dramatic, with only 21 percent of the precipitation compared to the long -term average. These unfavorable weather conditions lead to a persistent drought stress in the top floor, which can be felt in many wine locations and fields in Brandenburg.

Measures to cope with the crisis

At various levels, measures to adapt to dryness are discussed intensively. The national water strategy, which was decided in 2023, aims to promote sustainable use of water resources. Both agriculture and water management are strongly challenged here. Citizens are also encouraged to handle water carefully to counteract the water shortage.

Time is urged, because other measures must also be taken to protect both the environment and the ecosystems. As lr-online.de is emphasized. Supporting bicycle paths and natural design design.

It remains to be hoped that these challenges will be met with a good hand to ensure the water availability and health of nature for the coming generations.