Severe Water Scarcity Plagues Cottbus

The expansion of the Saxon open-cast mine Nochten in Mühlrose, Germany, has sparked controversy among environmental groups and local residents. The proposed project, overseen by Leag, aims to create 8000 hectares of water surface in abandoned pits from the DDR coal mining era.

However, concerns have been raised about the potential impact of the project on water scarcity in the region. According to René Schuster, the public is already bearing the costs caused by the water shortage in the Spree and the surrounding areas. He also emphasizes that water scarcity threatens the region if no more water from dewatering of coal pits is directed into the Spree after the coal phase-out, and the groundwater level has not yet recovered.

Leag maintains that the seasonally-induced evaporation in the Cottbus Ostsee, the largest open-pit lake in Germany so far, has no influence on water scarcity in the region. However, environmental activists criticize high evaporation rates of open-pit mines for contributing to water scarcity.

The Cottbus Ostsee, flooded since 2019, has a targeted area of 1900 hectares. Around 35 million cubic meters of water are still missing to fully saturate the pore spaces of the soil and the shore areas of the lake. The stability of the banks of the planned open-cast mine lake in Mühlrose has not been proven, according to René Schuster.

The unexpected landslides at the Cottbus Baltic Sea in 2023, the first lake created by Leag in a former open-cast mine, are not mentioned in the application for the expansion of the Saxon open-cast mine Nochten in Mühlrose.

Leag cannot predict when the abandoned open-pit mine will be further filled due to water scarcity issues. The planned flooding period of 30 years, as well as the geological conditions, pose a risk in the planned open-cast mine lake in Mühlrose.

The environmental protection group demands that an area of 52 square kilometers be restored as land instead of the planned open-pit lakes at Cottbus, Jaenschwalde, Welzow-Süd, Nochten, and Reichwalde. The merger of Green League and the environmental group Cottbus criticize the expansion of the Saxon open-cast mine Nochten in Mühlrose.

Three post-mining lakes are planned in the Jaenschwalde open-cast mine, and one each in Welzow-Süd, Nochten, and Reichwalde, under the responsibility of Leag. René Schuster demands that more land areas be restored instead of filling abandoned coal pits with water.

In conclusion, the proposed expansion of the Saxon open-cast mine Nochten in Mühlrose has raised significant concerns about water scarcity, safety, and environmental impact. The controversy continues as both Leag and environmental groups present their arguments, with the public and local residents closely watching the developments.