Information Platform on River Restoration

Publication: Website
Citation: German Environment Agency (ed.) 2019: Renaturierung von Fließgewässern. Internetportal compiled by Kemper M., Lamberty G., Wagner F. and Zumbroich T. on behalf of the German Environment Agency, Dessau-Roßlau. URL: www.uba.de/renaturierung

This information platform provides information for potential actors of renaturation projects. The aim of river restoration is to return rivers and streams to their natural state and to improve their ecological status. Natural and semi-natural rivers and streams have many advantages, e.g:

They increase the quality of life as landscape-forming elements in urban and rural areas.
They reduce the risk of flooding for downstream users.
They provide habitats for numerous plant and animal species.
They support the degradation of environmentally harmful substances (e.g. waste water, fertilisers).
They contribute to adaptation to global climate change.

The German information platform offers information in 25 articles on:

Planning and implementing river restoration projects,
Synergies of river restoration (e. g. nature conservation, flood protection, recreation, climate change adaptation)
ten project examples across Germany where a wide variety of measures were implemented.

An explanatory film introduces the topic, ten river restoration projects are presented in short vides and photos. Four free infographics illustrate the topics of planning, financing, participation and selection of measures.

The information platform is aimed at towns and municipalities, water management authorities, water bodies associations, fishing associations and citizens' groups.

Renaturierung von Fließgewässern: ein Blick in die Praxis

Abschlussbericht

Year 2021

Publication:Brochure

Cover of the publication "Our brooks and rivers". Background image shows a restored river basin.

This brochure provides insights into the contents of the Federal Environment Agency's online information platform "River restoration". The aim of the platform and this brochure is to motivate and support potential actors for increased implementation of river restoration measures. Therefore, basic knowledge on the ecological development of rivers and brooks is provided in a clear and understandable way. It also provides information on practical issues of planning, financing and land provision, but also on flood protection, nature conservation, agriculture and recreation. Restoration project examples further illustrate these topics. The brochure is available for download.

Unsere Bäche und Flüsse

renaturieren – entwickeln – naturnah unterhalten

Year 2020

Publication:Article

Cover of the German journal Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft 4/2020

This article introduces the German Federal Environment Agency's online information platform on river restoration. It was designed, compiled and implemented between 2017 and 2020 by Ecologic Institute, Planungsbüro Zumbroich and IGF Jena. The information platform provides basic knowledge on the restoration of rivers and serves to gain acceptance for restoration measures. It addresses towns and municipalities, water management authorities, water bodies associations, fishing associations and citizens' groups.

Mehr Aufmerksamkeit für gewässerökologische Maßnahmen

Umweltbundesamt startet Online-Informationsplattform zu Renaturierung von Fließgewässern

Year 2020

Publication:Document

Cover Website Concept River Restoration 2017

Kemper, Melanie, Georg Lamberty, Falko Wagner 2017: Informationsplattform Gewässerrenaturierung – Website Konzept, Berlin, September 2017, unpublished.

Informationsplattform Gewässerrenaturierung – Website Konzept

Year 2017

Publication:Video

The water landscape of the Hase and its tributaries Lower Saxony is ecologically upgraded. The dykes are relocated, floodplain revitalisations and watercourse conversions are carried out. This can only be done in close cooperation with all those involved, but above all with agriculture, which makes land available and extensifies uses.

Auenrevitalisierung in Kooperation mit der Landwirtschaft an der Hase

Revitalisation of River Hase's Floodplains in Cooperation with Farmers

Year 2019

Publication:Video

More than 20 individual measures were implemented to ensure the continuity and restoration of the Ruhr in Arnsberg. This resulted in a near-natural river landscape in the middle of the city. The restored Ruhr is increasingly shaping the cityscape. Flood protection has also improved significantly.

Steigerung der Erlebbarkeit der Ruhr im urbanen Raum

Increasing Nature Experience of the Ruhr in the Town of Arnsberg

Year 2019

Publication:Video

The river Wern in Franconia was modified in the 1930s in order to enable agriculture right up to the edge of the river. As a result, biotope and species diversity declined significantly. Since 1995, the Wern has been gradually regaining a near-natural state through systematic, sectional restoration measures.

Systematische Gewässerentwicklung an der Wern

Systematic river development on the Wern

Year 2019

Publication:Video

Long-term land management enabled extensive restoration of the river Nebel in Mecklenburg. In the lowland areas, construction measures were necessary because there is not enough flow velocity for a self-dynamic development. Restoration also increased ecosystem services such as carbon storage and landscape cooling.

Flächenmanagement und Gewässeraufwertung an der Nebel

Land Management and River Restoration at the River Nebel

Year 2019

Publication:Video

An innovative approach combines technical flood protection and restoration of the river Helme near Sundhausen in Thuringia. The risk of flooding is significantly reduced and companies are settling in the now flood-free industrial areas. Rare and protected species, such as the endangered river mussel (Unio crassus), also benefit from near-natural flood protection measures.

Renaturierung und technischer Hochwasserschutz an der Helme

Restoration and Technical Flood Protection at the River Helme

Year 2019

Language: German
Authorship: Melanie Kemper

Dr. Georg Lamberty,(Planungsbüro Zumbroich)

Dr. Falko Wagner,(IGF Jena)

Prof. Dr. Thomas Zumbroich (Planungsbüro Zumbroich)
Credits: Editors: Melanie Kemper (Ecologic Institute), Stephan Naumann (Umweltbundesamt)
Content Management: Ilka Merbold (Ecologic Institute)
Design Infographics: Lena Aebli, Ruth Haake (Ecologic Institute)
Camera, Sound: Marco Linke (Medieningenieurbüro Manntau)
Cutting Explanatory Film: Lena Aebli (Ecologic Institute)
Cutting Project Films: Marco Linke (Medieningenieurbüro Manntau)
Funding: German Environment Agency (UBA), Germany
Published in: UBA online portal River Restoration
Year: 2019
Project: Information Platform for the Restoration of Rivers
Project ID: 3514
Keywords: Biodiversity

Communication

Digitalization

Water

participation, cooperation, measures, restoration, river, hydromorphology, Water Framework Directive, WFD, ecology, nature conservation, urban water management, agriculture, energy, recreation, tourism, monument conservation

Germany

online, information platform, internet, website, infographic, video

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