Water withdrawal ban in Brandenburg: drought forces measures!
Water withdrawal ban in Brandenburg: drought forces measures!
Spree-Neiße, Deutschland - The situation is tense in Südbrandenburg: the districts of Spree-Neiße and Dahme-Spreewald have issued a water withdrawal ban due to continuing drought. This ban came into force on Thursday and prohibits the water withdrawal from rivers and lakes during the day. The measure affects the feeding area of the Spree, as well as the upper reaches of the Dahme ([RBB24] (https://www.rbb24.de/panorama/biebtrag/2025/06/brandenburg-spree-neisse-wasserzbot1.html)) and is aimed at numerous municipalities and cities in the region.
In the district of Spree-Neisse, these include Spremberg and Drebkau as well as the municipalities of Kolkwitz, Neuhausen/Spree and all locations of the offices Peitz and Burg (Spreewald). Several cities such as Lübben and Luckau are also affected in the Dahme-Spreewald district. The aim of this general order is to counter a further decline in water management and to secure the water ecological functions ([MAZ-ONLINE] (https://www.maz-online.de/brandenburg/trockheit-in-brandenburg-lds-und-cottbus-biete-wasser- und-dahme-dexg57si53mxfe.html)).The background of the water shortage
The reason for the drastic measure is the tense water shortage, which was caused by too low rainfall in the past winters. The natural water resources could not regenerate sufficiently, which in the current weather conditions led to very low flows in the rivers ([rbbb24] (https://www.rbbb24.de/panorama/biebtrag/2025/06/brandenburg-spree-neisse--wasser withdrawal-berbot1.html)). The water authorities already warn of the foreseeable tightening of the water shortage, since the weather forecasts do not put any rain in sight soon. The city of Cottbus also plans to issue a similar ban in the coming week and calls on the population for a more economical handling of water.
This development is not only for nature, but also for agriculture. In the Fruerbau experimental institution in Müncheberg, gardening scientist Antje Balasus examines which apple varieties are prepared for the challenges of climate change. The dryness relates to the Brandenburg apple farmers: Without sufficient irrigation, the popular fruits are no longer marketable (Deutschlandfunk Kultur).
The effects of dryness
The extreme weather events observed so far - such as heat waves, cold slumps and now drought - are not only problematic for the apple harvest. The general water availability in the region is also at risk. Brandenburg has been suffering from an extraordinary dry phase since 2018, which also affects drinking water supply. Therefore, from 2025, an upper limit of 105 liters of water per person and day will apply to new customers. This clearly shows how serious the situation is already (Deutschlandfunk Kultur).
Water consumption increasingly becomes hot iron in Brandenburg. As the hydrogeologist Irina Engelhardt from the TU Berlin explains, groundwater recovery is only 82 mm per year. Even if there are no fast solutions in sight, technical approaches are discussed in order to counteract the drought, such as collecting heavy -ters to improve groundwater supplies. The state plans to change the approval practice for commercial settlements to ensure drinking water security (Deutschlandfunk Kultur).
The water withdrawal ban in Südbrandenburg is a clear indication that it is time to deal responsibly with our water resources. The nature and future of agriculture depend on the fact that we are now making the right decisions.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Spree-Neiße, Deutschland |
| Quellen | |