The Integrated Rhine Programme Flood control and restoration of former floodplains along the Upper Rhine MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE PROTECTION AND THE ENERGY SECTOR CONTENTS Dear Citizens, Preface . 1 Water is a basis of life, a habitat and a natural resource, all in one. However, it also poses inherent risks. Therefore, it is a declared objective of our state government to enhance flood prevention in The risk . 2-3 harmony with the natural environment throughout the entire state of Baden-Württemberg. The River Rhine – a wild river For this purpose, we plan to create a retention capacity of about 273 million m³ between falling prey to human intervention 4-5 the cities of Basel and Worms along the Upper Rhine. The state of Baden-Württemberg The Integrated has pledged to contribute 13 flood retention areas with an overall capacity of 167.3 million Rhine Programme (IRP) . 6-7 m³ towards accomplishing this ambitious, internationally agreed goal. For this reason, the Integrated Rhine Programme (IRP) was established back in 1996. Apart from providing The possibilities and environmentally sustainable flood control, the latter also seeks to protect and restore impact of flood retention floodplains both inside and outside the designated retention areas. on the Upper Rhine . 8 Currently, Baden-Württemberg provides the following retention areas: the cultural weir near The Upper Rhine retention areas Kehl/Strasbourg, the polders in Altenheim, Söllingen/Greffern, Rheinschanzinsel as well as parts down to Mannheim . 9 of Weil-Breisach. This already accounts for approximately 45% of the required retention capacity. Combined with the flood retention measures taken in France and Rhineland-Palatinate, these ca- Flood protection in harmony with nature . 10-11 pacities already ensure the protection of the metropolitan areas of Karlsruhe and Mannheim/Lud- wigshafen, safeguarding them against flood events that occur statistically every 120 to 150 years. Using the Polders Altenheim Harnessing all available retention capacities along the Upper Rhine during the last major flooding in the event of flooding . .12-13 in May/June 2013 allowed us to reduce the peak height of the flood in Karlsruhe/Maxau by 24cm, New refuge for a large variety which prevented the occurrence of larger-scale damage and losses in the Upper Rhine region. Due of fauna and flora . 14-15 to the weather conditions prevailing at that particular point in time, Baden-Württemberg narrowly escaped severe and disastrous flooding similar to the floodwaters that had swelled the rivers Elbe Documenting changes in the and Danube. Once again, this has shown that the state’s flood control strategy is on the right track. landscape . 16 Due to the allocation and logical increase in financial resources granted by both the state and the Outlook . 17 federal government, flood prevention and defence measures may quickly progress with further Imprint flood retention areas being planned and built in the very near future. Moreover, possible dyke Editor: relocations in appropriate locations along the River Rhine will be incorporated in the planning. Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector Alternative proposals submitted by the respective regions will be scrutinised within the framework Postfach 10 34 39 in 70029 Stuttgart, Germany of the relevant approval procedures. available from: Regierungspräsidium Freiburg (Regional Administrative Authority Freiburg) However, the required retention areas may only be planned, built and operated when the residents 79114 Freiburg i. Br., Bissierstrasse 7, Germany Editorial staff: Silvia Kuhn, Wolfgang Migenda, living along the River Rhine support the scheme in a show of solidarity. This brochure showcases Dr. Ulrike Pfarr the parameters and conditions underlying the Integrated Rhine Programme by outlining the IRP’s Graphic design: Maerzke Grafik Design, Leonberg basic idea and objectives. Further more detailed information on plans pertaining to your specific Translated by Ilona Kronenberg, Solingen region is available on the websites of the Regional Administrative Authorities of Freiburg and Karls- Picture credits: Bertram H., Munich, page 3; aerial photo Brugger, Stuttgart, pages 6/7; ruhe. Dannenmayer, Karlsruhe Titel, page 11, 14, 15; Dr. Homagk, Karlsruhe, page 12; I hope that, with your support, we will jointly be able to swiftly implement the Integrated Rhine Basel Museum of Art, page 4; Maerzke, Leonberg title, pages 1, 4, 6, 8, 13, 14/15, Programme. For this purpose, we must reconcile a multitude of very different interests and will 16/17; Richter, Freiburg pages 2, 8, 11; only succeed in doing so if we manage to establish a broad consensus on a social and political level. Staeber, Freiburg pages 10, 11, 14, 15; Steinmetz, LUBW Karlsruhe page 11; Against this backdrop, I am asking for your constructive support and cooperation on this sometimes all other photos Regional Administrative Autho- rity Freiburg rocky path. Fifth Revised Edition Your All rights reserved – no part of this brochure may be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior permission of the editor. Franz Untersteller MdL (Member of the Landtag) Stuttgart, October 2016 Minister of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector of the Land of Baden-Württemberg 2 Flood hazard Flood hazard 3 The risk THE SOLUTION THE PLAN IS FULLY WORKING OUT Housing estates and industrial areas are As illustrated by the example of the According to current estimates, the still being built on potential floodplains. In its present state, the River Rhine River Rhine, it was not so long ago that costs incurred in connection with the Inte- As a consequence, the flood hazard will only has a limited conveyance people were trying to protect the wetlands grated Rhine Programme total about not recede, but increase. Flood protection taken away from the rivers by means of EUR 1.47bn (as of 8/2015); in contrast, in can never be absolute. People living in the capacity for floodwater downstream dams that were built higher and higher. Baden-Württemberg alone, the anticipated immediate proximity of the river must of Iffezheim along the impounded Today we know that this tremendously damage/losses exceed an amount of always be prepared for the worst. However, stretch of the river. Taking stock of exacerbates the flood hazards for down- EUR 7bn (as of 2013) plus the potential even a reduction in unavoidable damage/ losses from floods: Thus, the conurbations of Karlsruhe, stream areas. For this reason, raising the loss of human life. Subsequent to the com- losses is equivalent to efficient flood control. The economic damage caused by a major Mannheim/Ludwigshafen and dams along the vulnerable section of the pletion of all flood retention facilities The respective precautions as well as reli- flood event in Baden- Württemberg totals Worms must brace themselves for Upper Rhine beyond their current height along the Upper Rhine, the measures em- able flood forecasting and warning systems approx. EUR 7bn must be ruled out in terms of a potential braced by the Integrated Rhine Programme will effectively help lower the damage/ (as of 2013). considerable damage caused by The measures taken solution to the problem. Thus, the only are set to prevent almost all of the above- losses incurred, even during major flood within the framework flooding when the river overtops of the Integrated feasible solution to attenuate critical flood mentioned losses, even in the event of a events. its embankments and inundates Rhine Programme peaks embraces the creation of flood- 200-year flood. Hence, the above invest- will help curb these the areas behind the levees. The losses. plains. Along the Upper Rhine, there is ment is really worthwhile! total damage/losses incurred in still a possibility of doing so in quite a Apart from that, things are also work- Baden-Württemberg alone is esti- number of areas. In former times, prior to ing out for nature. We are witnessing a mated to amount to more than the construction of the dams, these areas rise in the number of remaining natural EUR 7bn (as of 2013). Moreover, it were always subject to inundation; today, floodplains that constitute the original habi- is expected that such an event will they are mainly used for forestry purposes, tats of a rich diversity of fauna and flora with a small proportion being set aside as that used to be typical of the Upper Rhine result in human casualties. farmland. Many of these areas still bear plain in former times. In addition, this will witness to the past as they embrace remain- also benefit humankind. In many locations, ders of the typical floodplain landscape people’s living environment will become that used to exist along the Upper Rhine. more natural and attractive. Reclaiming these areas for flood control PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN purposes and developing semi-natural CURE Photo: Sascha Kopp floodplains is the objective pursued by the The flood retention measures carried Integrated Rhine Programme (IRP), out along the Upper Rhine merely consti- Baden-Württemberg’s plan to ensure flood tute repair work and will by no means suf- control and restore the former floodplains fice as stand-alone measures. Human inter- along the Upper Rhine. ference along the river must be reversed. Floods on the Upper THE CAUSES Rhine pose a threat Until the 1970s, prior to the construc- to 95 towns and Housing estates, industrial municipalities tion of the dams along the Upper Rhine zones and farmland ➤ with a total are threatened by flooding. population between Kembs and Iffezheim, the situa- Altrip (left), Mannheim (right) of 700,000 tion proved to be less dramatic. At that ➤ with ca. 350,000 tention of water while reducing the river’s parable flood volumes generate larger river jobs time, the number of natural floodplains ➤ covering a surface flood conveyance capacity along the north- discharges that can no longer run off be- area of along the southern section of the Upper 2 ern stretch of the Upper Rhine to an ac- tween the main dams of the Rhine along ca.