Experiences from the International Rhine Water Management

Germany, located in Central Europe, has access to different national and international river basins and lakes, including the Rhine, Elbe, Danube and Lake Constance. Precipitation in Germany differs between comfortable amounts in the Alpine region (1500–2000 mm/a) to moderate amounts in the central and northern regions (600–800 mm/a). In brief, the geological conditions are in favour of successful groundwater storage.

High population density, industrial production and intensive agriculture pose challenges to efficient water management. Irrigation is low but moderately increasing. More or less the same is true for river basin neighbours such as France, Switzerland, Austria, Benelux, Poland and the Czech Republic. The lower Danube countries are industrial but less developed. Thus, the surface and groundwater is under moderate quantitative pressure. Nevertheless, water management is needed for flood risk and low-level water.