Offenburg (dpa/lsw) - Because of the drought, people in the Ortenau district are not allowed to pump water from streams and rivers to irrigate agricultural areas or home gardens. Due to the low rainfall, the water levels have dropped to critical values, informed Jürgen Mair, head of the office for water management and soil protection in the district of Ortenau. Larger amounts of precipitation are also not to be expected. The district announced on Monday in Offenburg that it would be checking the regulations more closely with immediate effect. In the event of a violation, fines of up to 100,000 euros are possible.
Mair said that individual rain showers in the past few days, especially during thunderstorms, have been locally productive, but the low water situation has not eased across the board. Water temperatures are also expected to rise in the coming weeks. "The low water supply and the rising water temperatures put a strain on both the animals and the plants in the water. Especially in times of high temperatures, it is particularly important that the watercourses do not dry out completely," said Mair. If the watercourses do not have enough water, there is a risk of increased growth of algae and loss of fishing.
