Schwerin (dpa / mv) - Environment Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) recalled the record flooding of the Elbe 20 years ago. This caused damage in the millions, said Backhaus on Friday. "Between August 21 and 23, 2002, peak water levels of 657 cm were measured at the Dömitz gauge and 645 cm at the Boizenburg gauge." For comparison: the normal value is 216 cm in Dömitz and 202 cm in Boizenburg.
According to Backhaus, thousands of volunteers, aid organizations and the German armed forces raised 30 kilometers of dikes. Around 2.6 million sandbags were filled. It was thanks to the helpers that there was no major catastrophe. In addition, the flood protection system had been upgraded with around 38 million euros in the ten years before.
Several dam breaches further up the Elbe - near Riesa and near Magdeburg - as well as several controlled flooding of polders would have contributed to the relief in MV. Nevertheless, more than 35 million euros in damage were incurred.
In the years that followed, there were several, until then very rare, floods of the century on the Elbe: in January 2003, April 2006, January 2011 and June 2013. According to Backhaus, the reasons are to be found on the one hand in climate change. But the strengthening of the flood protection systems on the upper reaches of the Elbe would have meant that more water flowed down the Elbe in a shorter time and caused higher water levels below.
According to Backhaus, the National Flood Protection Program of 2013 should ensure a balance between above and below the river. The focus is on relocating dikes and creating new flood polders. This should allow more water to be absorbed.
