Companies Establish Association to Renaturalize the Alz River
Burghausen, Jun 16, 2015
Eight companies from the Bavarian Chemical Triangle have jointly established the “Naturnahe Alz” [“Natural Alz”] association. This environmental initiative’s aim is to support the state of Bavaria in renaturalizing the Alz river and enhancing its ecosystem long term. Wacker Chemie AG is among the founding members.
Since the early 20th century, the Alz has experienced major changes: straightening the river banks, flooding-protection dams, draining of floodplains and industrial use – human intervention has had a large impact on the river’s original character and natural quality. With a view toward the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), the Traunstein water management agency’s strategy to support the Alz envisages numerous corrective measures to renaturalize the river.
The water management agency can now rely on new partners for this task. Eight companies including Archroma Germany GmbH, Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH, Dyneon GmbH (3M), Global Amines Germany GmbH, Hamburger Rieger GmbH & Co. KG, InfraServ GmbH & Co. Gendorf KG, Vinnolit GmbH & Co. KG and Wacker Chemie AG have jointly committed themselves to the “Natural Alz” initiative for long-term renaturalization of the Alz. In close collaboration with Traunstein’s water management agency, the association intends to finance measures in the section from Trostberg to the mouth of the Inn river.
The renaturalization measures include the dismantling of embankments, formation of original river branches and creation of riverbed structures. The association receives know-how and expertise about the right measures from a committee made up of the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment, Traunstein’s water management agency and “Bund Naturschutz” [German nature conservation association].
In accordance with the EU’s Water Framework Directive, bodies of water must be viewed holistically, thus from source to mouth. What’s more, bodies of water and rivers are not to be assessed solely according to their water quality. Since the directive’s introduction, rivers’ fauna and flora, as well as river structures are to be preserved and developed as naturally as possible. A key prerequisite for renaturalization of the Alz is sufficient land availability. Here too, the new association can help create the financial basis and thereby support renaturalization of the Alz.