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B. Nilkens et al.
Spremberg are situated in the Upper and Middle Spree. These reservoirs were
originally constructed to hold back the destructive high waters. Today they are
primarily used to manage the water quantity, e.g. low water regulation. The water
quality of the reservoirs has to be observed closely, since its quality determines
that of the downstream water. The lignite mining industry heavily influences the
Upper and the Middle River Spree. The complexity of the situation will be explained later.
The Spree Forest is a biosphere reservation of international reputation. For centuries, men have lived in and from this area. A balance between men and nature
has developed. In this area the River Spree can be characterized as a net of small
canals and creeks with extremely slow - flowing, sometimes even standing, water.
The Spree Forest is partly moor with untouched nature, and partly farmland,
where humans farm the land and at the same time provide ideal conditions for a
unique piece of nature. Today, the Spree Forest is a very popular touristic region
and the main source of income is tourist industry. The decreasing water level and
the insufficient water quality in the River Spree are a genuine threat to the Spree
Forest and its inhabitants.
Due to the decreasing water level the flow characteristics, and consequently the
chemical and biological reactions, are changing. The Spree Forest will increasingly serve as a sedimentation place; meanwhile other substances may come into
motion by, e.g. redox processes. An important research objective is to find out
which processes can be expected. A limit must be found so that natural park and
farm land will not suffer irremediably.
The Lower River Spree is the part between the Spree Forest and Berlin. As the
main sources of drinking water for the capital of Germany, the water from the
River Spree has to be within a certain range of quality and quantity to ensure the
water supply of the inhabitants of Berlin. In the Lower Spree, processes other than
in the foregoing sections become increasingly more important to the river water
quality. Due to the modified flow characteristics, processes between water and the
river sediment change. Furthermore, as the dilution effect is diminished, point and
non-point water sources have much more influence on the water quality than formerly.
The decrease of the flow also poses difficulties to the local industry, which uses
the water for its production and until today relies on a minimum level of water.
After use, the water is led back into the river. Substances from the production are
thereby added to the river water and its sediments. Apart from the pure quantity
problem, the industrial runoffs reduce the river quality even further.
3 Influence of Lignite Mining
As mentioned before, the Upper River Spree flows through one of the largest mining areas in Europe, the Lusatian lignite mining district, which used to be the main
lignite - quarrying site in the former GDR. Because of the extraction of the lignite
and the artificial lowering of the groundwater level, huge amounts of soil came
B. Nilkens et al.
Spremberg are situated in the Upper and Middle Spree. These reservoirs were
originally constructed to hold back the destructive high waters. Today they are
primarily used to manage the water quantity, e.g. low water regulation. The water
quality of the reservoirs has to be observed closely, since its quality determines
that of the downstream water. The lignite mining industry heavily influences the
Upper and the Middle River Spree. The complexity of the situation will be explained later.
The Spree Forest is a biosphere reservation of international reputation. For centuries, men have lived in and from this area. A balance between men and nature
has developed. In this area the River Spree can be characterized as a net of small
canals and creeks with extremely slow - flowing, sometimes even standing, water.
The Spree Forest is partly moor with untouched nature, and partly farmland,
where humans farm the land and at the same time provide ideal conditions for a
unique piece of nature. Today, the Spree Forest is a very popular touristic region
and the main source of income is tourist industry. The decreasing water level and
the insufficient water quality in the River Spree are a genuine threat to the Spree
Forest and its inhabitants.
Due to the decreasing water level the flow characteristics, and consequently the
chemical and biological reactions, are changing. The Spree Forest will increasingly serve as a sedimentation place; meanwhile other substances may come into
motion by, e.g. redox processes. An important research objective is to find out
which processes can be expected. A limit must be found so that natural park and
farm land will not suffer irremediably.
The Lower River Spree is the part between the Spree Forest and Berlin. As the
main sources of drinking water for the capital of Germany, the water from the
River Spree has to be within a certain range of quality and quantity to ensure the
water supply of the inhabitants of Berlin. In the Lower Spree, processes other than
in the foregoing sections become increasingly more important to the river water
quality. Due to the modified flow characteristics, processes between water and the
river sediment change. Furthermore, as the dilution effect is diminished, point and
non-point water sources have much more influence on the water quality than formerly.
The decrease of the flow also poses difficulties to the local industry, which uses
the water for its production and until today relies on a minimum level of water.
After use, the water is led back into the river. Substances from the production are
thereby added to the river water and its sediments. Apart from the pure quantity
problem, the industrial runoffs reduce the river quality even further.
3 Influence of Lignite Mining
As mentioned before, the Upper River Spree flows through one of the largest mining areas in Europe, the Lusatian lignite mining district, which used to be the main
lignite - quarrying site in the former GDR. Because of the extraction of the lignite
and the artificial lowering of the groundwater level, huge amounts of soil came