Because of drought: In the Vogelsberg district, no one is allowed to take water from bodies of water

Streams around Ulrichstein and Lauterbach in Hesse. Here in the Vogelsberg district, taking water from all bodies of water has been prohibited since Monday. Those who do not comply face fines of up to 100,000 euros. The reason for this: the drought and the resulting low water levels in rivers, lakes and streams in the district. “The situation is very tense at the moment. That’s why we had to enact this water withdrawal ban, simply to further or not further damage the existing nature,” says Markus Wörner, technical clerk at the Vogelsberg district office for construction and environmental protection. It is not the first time that the district has been forced to impose such a ban, explains Jens Mischak, a member of the district committee. For the fourth time in five years, water withdrawal has been banned in Vogelsbergkreis. “It’s the lack of precipitation in the last few weeks. That was similar to the situation in 2018, 19 and 20. In 2021 we had a rainy spring, the situation was completely different there. But everyone noticed, even in the last few weeks, that the precipitation was simply missing.” The headwaters of water bodies are particularly affected, and the local flora and fauna can be damaged. Mischak says he also understands the constraints on agriculture caused by the ban. “But it’s also not the case that one or the other person who didn’t recognize it the first time gets the notice of a fine. We know that this also entails burdens. But we’re trying to solve it pragmatically .” The water shortage is also a problem for other regions in Hesse, as the municipality of Grävenwiesbach north of Frankfurt declared a drinking water emergency last week. The Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research sees drought in large parts of Germany, and some areas are even experiencing extreme and exceptional drought.