New flood protection in Lindlar: technology for more safety!

New flood protection in Lindlar: technology for more safety!

The flood disaster in the Ahr Valley not only shocked the region, but also caused a stir in political circles. A final report on the devastating events was presented in the state parliament today, which underlines the need for new measures to improve flood protection. One measure that is at the top of the list is the commissioning of a new flood measuring point in Welzen (Lindlar-Hommerich), which is intended to monitor the region's rivers even better Cologne City Gazette reported.

The ultra-modern measuring point on the Sülz was opened by Oliver Krischer, the NRW Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport. It is part of a comprehensive plan to install 26 new measuring points on the upper reaches of smaller bodies of water in North Rhine-Westphalia. The aim is to have a total of 122 of these reporting systems in operation by the end of the year, which will transmit data to the Lanuk flood control center. This promises extensive advantages by not only offering longer advance warning times, but also increased safety in the event of flood risks.

Technical innovation and challenges

However, not all municipalities benefit equally from this new technology. While Lindlar itself benefits less, neighboring communities such as Rösrath and Overath could experience a significant improvement in their flood prevention in this way. Cordula Ahlers, treasurer of Lindlar, has already suggested installing another gauge upstream of the Sülz in order to further increase safety. Roland Funke from Lanuk explained the technology of the measuring point, which has, among other things, a yellow level meter, two pressure probes and a bubble sensor.

The flow rate at this new measuring point is 480 cubic meters per second. In order to be protected in emergencies, the technical facilities are also doubly secured. The power supply is provided by a combination of a 230 volt line, a photovoltaic system and a battery storage system. The collected data is transmitted to the monitoring network headquarters every 15 minutes and is accessible to the public.

Climate change as an urgent problem

These developments are even more urgent given recent reports on the impacts of climate change. How ZDF today reported that storms and floods have increased significantly in Europe. A study by the EU-funded research group ClimaMeter shows that these extreme weather events are mainly caused by climate change, complicating the situation again. Here in Germany, up to 400,000 people could be affected by floods in the coming years.

The weather-related challenges should not be underestimated. Massive rainfall and the associated risk of flooding are no longer just regional phenomena. Reports of flooding in Spain and other parts of Europe, which are increasing year after year, demonstrate the dramatic change that the weather is undergoing due to climate change. Deutschlandfunk also highlights that scientists have noted a clear increase in heavy rainfall that has been observed since the 1950s.

Given the current challenges, flood prevention measures are even more important. The focus is on the renaturation of areas, the construction of effective retention and compensation areas and the creation of infiltration opportunities. These measures are urgently needed to mitigate the consequences of future extreme weather events. Climate scientists warn tirelessly that without visible action, the impacts of climate change will continue to increase.

In this context, the new flood protection law, which was recently drawn up, is seen as an important step that is intended to accelerate the construction of dams and dikes. It remains to be hoped that the right course will be set in the near future to sustainably improve the safety of people in flood areas.