Overview

• BUND Saxony declared further deepening of the Elbe pointless and urged a return to a more natural river regime.
• The organization says the federal goal of 1.40 meters depth on 345 days a year is widely missed, with the stretch from the Czech border to Magdeburg falling short on around 160 days on average.
• Saxony BUND head Felix Ekardt argued the river now lacks water, vessels and qualified pilots, with traditional Elbe shipping no longer viable due to climate change and shifting economics.
• The proposals include widening the channel to reduce flow speed, reversing riverbed erosion, increasing water retention in the landscape and prioritizing ecological flood protection.
• BUND criticized ongoing taxpayer spending on deepening while citing the winding up of Czech carrier ČSPL and the continued operations of Evropská vodní doprava focusing on passenger and heavy-load transport.