Flood damage on the Spree: Grubschütz starts renovation work!

Flood damage on the Spree: Grubschütz starts renovation work!

In Grubschütz, the repair of flood damage on the Spree will begin on June 16, 2025. The State Dam Administration of the Free State of Saxony (LTV) has commissioned the company OSTEG mbH with this important task. This measure covers the area of ​​the Spree cycle path, which has been severely affected by repeated flood events in recent years.

What's happening in Grubschütz? The repair of the damage is scheduled to take around six weeks and should be completed by the end of July. This measure is not only necessary to maintain surface water, but also plays a central role in flood protection. Flood protection has become more urgent due to the various flood events. The condition of the left bank protection is now worrying, which is why the LTV is now taking action.

Entry to property required

The repair of flood damage is also carried out on areas that are privately owned. Therefore, in accordance with Section 41 of the Water Resources Act in conjunction with Section 38 of the Saxon Water Act, the property owners must tolerate entry and traffic on their areas. This is to ensure that the necessary work can be completed efficiently.

However, environmental aspects are also taken into account during the work. Many bodies of water are affected by neophytes, plant species such as Indian balsam or Japanese knotweed that are not native and can displace native species. Combating these neophytes is not necessary “everywhere” because the state dam administration sees no need for action where areas worthy of protection are not affected. In other places, the chances of success of combating it must be checked, as this often involves a lot of effort. It is important, however, that excessive neophyte growth can endanger flood protection if, for example, they form drainage obstacles.

Regulations and measures for flood protection

As set out in the general flood protection regulations, measures such as maintaining retention areas and prohibiting the conversion of grassland to arable land are crucial. These regulations, which are anchored in the Water Resources Act, are intended to ensure that flood areas are protected in the long term and that new construction projects in these sensitive zones are restricted. There are specific regulations for risk areas that indicate a possible risk of flooding. The designation of such areas gives flood protection a priority that takes into account the effects of climate change.

In light of these measures and the ongoing work on the Spree in Grubschütz, it is clear that the issue of flood protection is a permanent part of environmental protection. The challenges arising from changing climatic conditions require everyone involved to find a sustainable and safe solution.

Those interested can find further information about water conservation in Saxony on the website of the Wasserwirtschaft Sachsen and on flood protection law on the website of the Umweltbundesamt.