Regensburg (dpa / lby) - In parts, the Danube carries such warm and low-oxygen water that plants and animals in the river are endangered. The government of the Upper Palatinate therefore announced the second of three warning levels for the section between Regensburg and Passau on Thursday. "The reason for the warning is the current warm and dry weather situation, which also affects the water ecological conditions in the Danube," the statement said.
The Pfelling measuring point near Deggendorf has had a water temperature of more than 25 degrees at the peak of the day for over a week. "Due to the weather conditions and the forecast heat days, an increase well above 26.5 degrees is to be expected," the authority explained. In addition, the forecast weather change increases the probability that the oxygen availability will fall below the corresponding limit value in the early morning hours over the next few days.
With the official "warning", which, according to the definition of the Bavarian Danube alarm plan, "water-ecologically critical conditions" occur, measures to improve the oxygen and temperature regime are now being implemented. At the same time, activities that lead to further deterioration are prohibited. This includes, for example, sludge removal and dredging work in the Danube or the decommissioning of sewage treatment plants for rehabilitation purposes. This is intended to keep the burden on aquatic organisms as low as possible.
