In view of ever lower water levels, the Greens in Saxony-Anhalt are calling for a stop to the expansion of the Elbe. The groyne expansion, which is supposed to ensure that the Elbe remains navigable, has turned the situation on its head, says Cornelia Lüddemann, leader of the Green parliamentary group in the state parliament. Because there are long periods of low water, this leads to the Elbe silting up and groundwater being drawn from the surrounding area. "The economic development lies in tourism."
According to the state government's answers to a major question from the Greens, goods handling at the Elbe's inland ports is declining. According to the Greens, goods handling at the Elbe-only ports has fallen by 93 percent since 2010. "The Elbe is no longer a waterway," said Lüddemann.
However, the state government points out: "The Elbe is still the most important waterway in the state." The transport axis along the Elbe is of great importance in the trans-European transport network for strengthening the internal market. The aim of the state government is to increasingly transport goods on the waterways as an environmentally friendly mode of transport.
