Dove-Elbe-retten.de - Hamburgers say no!

The people of Hamburg are generally regarded asreserved, level-headed and sometimes taciturn. Loud appearances or even demonstrations are anathema to the Hanseatic people. But when it comes to the lifeline of their city, the Elbe, the proverbial "Hanseatic understatement" gives way to a correspondingly clear determination."We say no", is the simple yet clear slogan of a citizens' initiative against the connection of the Dove-Elbe tributary to the Elbe for power engineering purposes.

Background: Due to theintensive economic utilisation of the Elbe Among other things, the tidal range, i.e. the change in water level between low and high tide, has risen steadily. To counteract this undesirable development, which has led toSiltation of the fairways and tributaries, the states of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony and Hamburg and the federal government founded theForum Tideelbe" working group.

The purpose of the working group is to submit proposals to reduce these effects.
Of the former 29 possible measures, five are still available today. for discussion. One of these is the opening of the Dove Elbe to the main river. The result: the brackish water of the Elbe is given more space, it flows into the river arm twice a day and leaves silt and mud behind at low tide.

The fromof the citizens' initiative "Dove-Elbe-retten" feared consequences would be dramatic. Initiative spokesperson Andreas Gabriel sees the existence of numerous companies and clubs at risk: "Thousands of Hamburg residents come to the Dove-Elbe in the summer months to swim, chill out, go boating, hiking and cycling and enjoy the unspoilt nature. Even farbeyond the borders of Hamburg is the local recreation area of touristic importance. This will all come to an end if our Dove Elbe degenerates into a brackish pond."

You need to know thatthe approximately 18 km long Dove-Elbe in its present form is indeed an Eldorado for water sports enthusiasts. Protected by the Tatenberg lock, an area has developed over the past decades that is unrivalled in the north.Kingfisher, beaver and numerous fish species live here "door to door" with city dwellers seeking relaxation.

Gabriel continues: "We say no! We will not give up our territory without a fight and are currently organising a campaignagainst the opening of the Dove-Elbe to the Tidal Elbe. On 25 July, for example, there will be a protest boat trip from the Dove Elbe to the Hamburg jetties. Anyone who wants to take part is cordially invited and can find our contact details on the website www.dove-elbe-retten.de. We are also planning a music concert on the Dove-Elbe on 12 August and another protest trip in September as well as the presentation of a petition to the Hamburg Senate. We have to do something about this madness."