The Federal Ministry for the Environment has launched a new 59‑million‑euro program to restore the floodplains of smaller rivers. Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) told the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” in its Thursday edition that “watercourses are our lifelines”. He added that in the past people tried to conquer rivers, straighten their banks and strip them of their floodplains-a mistake that must now be righted.
The minister cited the ongoing drought as a catalyst for action. While some snow remains in the low temperatures, “months of insufficient rainfall and a real winter drought are the reality in many regions” he said.
The program, which will begin shortly, will fund the recovery of river habitats and the re‑construction or reconfiguration of drainage systems in line with the renaturation work. Eligible applicants include municipalities, nature‑conservation organisations and state authorities. An application website is currently being set up.
This new funding builds on an existing program for floodplain restoration on federal waterways. Since 2019, floodplains along eleven rivers-from the Aller to the Werra-have already been renatured. Schneider noted that decades of canalisation have stripped many rivers of life; flattening banks and reconnecting floodplains can bring back insects, newts and small fish. Healthy river floodplains are among the richest ecosystems in Europe.
Beyond nature, the economy stands to benefit. “We have always been a water‑rich country, but now many regions face low groundwater levels” the SPD politician explained. The Berlin area, Saxony, Saxony‑Anhalt and Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania are especially affected. Continued water scarcity would jeopardise supply, agriculture, and industries such as chemicals and semiconductor manufacturing that depend on reliable water sources. Renaturating river floodplains and rewetting moors are essential measures to preserve water.
