Water withdrawal is prohibited in the Esslingen district: drought hits bodies of water!

Water withdrawal is prohibited in the Esslingen district: drought hits bodies of water!

In the Esslingen district, water abstraction from surface waters is now prohibited due to persistent drought and falling water levels. This ban affects all rivers, streams, lakes and ponds in the area. Current water levels have fallen below mean low water, due to low rainfall and high temperatures. Loud Esslinger newspaper The legal regulation comes into force immediately and is initially limited to August 31st.

The ban includes both water extraction with pumps and manual extraction, for example with buckets or watering cans. For larger quantities of water, a water permit must be obtained. A set level indicates below which water withdrawal is not permitted. These measures serve to protect the aquatic ecology, as fish, smaller creatures and plants suffer from low water levels, low oxygen levels and rising water temperatures.

Drought in Germany

The measures in Esslingen are part of a larger problem: Germany is currently experiencing a significant drought. The German Weather Service (DWD) reports that the country experienced its driest period since 1931 from February to April 2025. March 2025 is particularly striking, with only 21% of the precipitation compared to the reference period 1991-2020, which is considered one of the driest Marches since 1881. In May, only around 48 l/m² of precipitation fell, which is 68% of the usual amount Federal Environment Agency reported.

Nationwide, the “Drought Monitor Germany” shows extreme to exceptional drought in the topsoil at the end of May 2025, especially in the northwest and north of Germany. The dry conditions are already impacting agriculture and water availability. The quality of the groundwater is also threatened by a persistent lack of precipitation, as the groundwater level is fed by rain and long dry periods can lead to a lowering.

Impact and adaptation strategies

The drought has negative effects on ecosystems and agriculture, as yield losses and nutrient surpluses can occur. Climate change is also contributing to changing precipitation patterns and water availability fluctuating widely across regions. While public water supplies only take 3% of renewable water resources, water stress in Germany is 10.1% (as of 2022), emphasizing the need to use water efficiently.

Agricultural irrigation is of little importance in Germany, but the area equipped for irrigation is growing. Citizens are encouraged to use water sparingly and to use efficient methods when watering gardens to reduce pressure on natural water resources.