Topics | Umweltbundesamt

Too high phosphorus concentrations are measured at more than half of all river measurement stations in Germany.The share has declined by around one third since the beginning of the 1980s. Extreme levels of pollution are very rare nowadays.Aim of the Sustainability Strategy is to meet the requirements for good status for phosphorous in all water bodies by 2030 at the latest.This requires a change i... read more

In 2021 only around 8 % of German streams and rivers were in at least a good ecological status or had at least a good ecological potential.According to the European Water Framework Directive, by 2015 with a time extension to 2027 all rivers must have achieved at least a good ecological status or potential.The time up to 2027 must be used to reach these demanding targets.The measures taken to date... read more

In the summer of 2022, an environmental disaster occurred in the Oder River: an estimated 1,000 tons of fish, mussels, and snails died. This began in the Polish part of the Oder and continued downstream into Germany. The cause was a toxic brackish algae called Prymnesium parvum. read more

Pesticides can cause damage to the environment. A project coordinated by the German Environment Agency for the European Environment Agency provides the first overview of pesticides in rivers. lakes and groundwater reported by EU Member States. The report confirms that additional measures are necessary to ensure compliance with environmental quality standards in waters. read more