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Excursion to the floodgate with a focus on dike safety and climate change
Ginsheim-Gustavsburg/Darmstadt On Thursday (July 10), 16 students from the International University of Mannheim, Darmstadt Regional Council, the floodgate in Ginsheim-Gustavsburg . Experts from the State Water Management Authority about the importance of technical flood protection in southern Hesse.
Holger Densky, head of the State Water Management Department at the Regional Council, emphasized the function of the dikes along the Rhine and Main rivers as an essential component of public services. The floodgate in Ginsheim protects the adjacent hinterland during floods. Without it being closed, water would reach as far as the village of Trebur. "Regular testing is crucial to ensure functionality in an emergency," explained Kurt Köhler from the Biebesheim dike maintenance depot.
The ensuing discussion made it clear that technical flood protection faces increasing challenges in light of climate change . In addition to questions about construction and maintenance, the limits of dike protection and the importance of cross-border cooperation were also addressed.
Background: Dike systems in southern Hesse
The Darmstadt Regional Council oversees approximately 167 kilometers of dikes along the Rhine and Main rivers. These dikes protect more than 600,000 people and billions of euros worth of assets. The State Water Management Agency is responsible for both the supervision and maintenance of the state-owned dikes.
Further information: rp-darmstadt.hessen.de/hochwasserschutz
Featured image: RP experts with the group from the IU Mannheim at the flood barrier gate in Ginsheim. Photo: RP Darmstadt
(DARMSTADT – RED/RP)
