85 million euros for better flood protection in Baden-Württemberg!

85 million euros for better flood protection in Baden-Württemberg!

The state government of Baden-Württemberg is sending a strong signal for flood protection and water ecology. With a provision of over 85 million euros, sustainable investments are to be initiated in these areas. These funds come from water abstraction and water use fees and are earmarked for a variety of projects to increase the safety of residents and revitalize natural habitats.

Almost 70 percent of the funds, which corresponds to around 60 million euros, flow into flood protection. One focus is on the Integrated Rhine Program (IRP), for which around 40.1 million euros are earmarked. This program aims to restore flood protection before the Upper Rhine expansion below the Iffezheim barrage. The financing of these projects is supported by the federal government, which underlines the importance of this initiative. In addition to the measures on the Rhine, 2.8 million euros will also be made available to upgrade the state's own flood protection dams, in particular on the Rhine flood dam and on the Rench near Oberkirch.

Technical improvements and revitalization

Another important aspect is the approximately 16.5 million euros that will be used to improve the technical flood protection of existing settlement areas. The aim is to increase protection for human settlements and minimize risks from flooding. In addition, around 16.8 million euros are planned for the revitalization of water bodies. This also includes a measure in Bad Niedernau in which a 1,000 meter long section of water is being redesigned to be more natural.

In order to further increase the efficiency of these measures, funds will be used to purchase the necessary machines and expand the state's own measuring stations. These developments are essential in order to effectively manage and protect first-order water bodies, i.e. important rivers and lakes that are the responsibility of the state of Baden-Württemberg.

Extensive investments for the future

In addition to the measures already mentioned, the state is providing almost 52 million euros for projects on second-order water bodies that are managed by municipalities. This brings the investments for 2025 to a total of 137 million euros, which will be invested in flood protection and ecological measures on larger and smaller bodies of water. These substantial financial resources are a crucial step towards reducing flood risks and preserving the environment.

The Integrated Rhine Program itself, as part of the national flood protection program, includes 13 flood retention areas between Basel and Mannheim. These former floodplains are being activated to reduce the risk of flooding and to preserve natural floodplains. The implementation of these important projects is in the hands of the regional councils of Freiburg and Karlsruhe, supported by the state and federal government.

Overall, with this comprehensive investment package, Baden-Württemberg shows how the combination of flood protection and ecological measures can be designed creatively and sustainably. um.baden-wuerttemberg.de reports that such measures are essential to ensure the future safety of the population in flood areas, especially in view of climate change and the associated challenges.

In addition, rp.baden-wuerttemberg.de describes further goals of the Integrated Rhine Program and their influence on the region. Cooperation between the countries that use the water of the Rhine is seen as the key to successful measures to reduce the risk of flooding in the long term.