BUND considers further deepening of the Elbe pointless

The Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) considers further deepening of the Elbe to be pointless and is calling for a return to the river's original state. "The Elbe no longer just lacks water; it also lacks ships and qualified skippers. Traditional Elbe shipping is history - a consequence of climate change and changing economic realities," explained Felix Ekardt, head of BUND in Saxony.

BUND: Elbe could become a hotspot for nature tourism

In Ekardt's opinion, the past ten years have provided a foretaste of the extremes that will have to be dealt with in the future. "Drought and floods. Natural flood protection works. We have to work with the river - not against it." We need "a new river policy that loosens the tight corset of the waterway and gives the Elbe back more of its original character". "The Elbe could become the German Loire - a hotspot for nature tourism."

Target for the Elbe federal waterway is being massively missed

BUND also justified the lack of economic viability with the liquidation of the Czech Elbe shipping company ČSPL. However, there is another company, Evropská vodní doprava, which concentrates on passenger shipping and heavy goods transportation - also on the Elbe.

According to BUND, the Federal Ministry of Transport's target of achieving a fairway depth of 1.40 meters on 345 days a year is being massively missed. On average, the depth of the fairway between the border and Magdeburg is less than this on around 160 days. "Nevertheless, millions in taxes continue to flow into the deepening of a barely used waterway."

BUND demands change of course

"In times of impending water crises, a change of course is needed: the flow velocity must be reduced by widening the river cross-section and the erosion of the river bed must be stopped and reversed," said BUND. Further narrowing of the river bed would be poisonous for the landscape water balance and land use. Instead, priority must be given to water retention in the area and ecological flood protection.