Edersee reservoir at 20% capacity: tourism businesses report 50% revenue losses during summer holidays

Water levels at record low early in season

The Edersee reservoir, with a 48-metre-high dam capable of holding 200 million cubic metres of water, has dropped to just over 39 million cubic metres, or roughly one-fifth of its capacity, during the summer holidays. The early onset of low water this year is attributed to persistent drought. Jens Köhne from the Weser Waterways and Shipping Office (WSA), which manages the dam, said inflows from the Werra, Fulda, and Eder catchments were extremely low due to significantly insufficient rainfall.

The dam had to provide support earlier than usual and recently with a comparatively large amount of water.

Tourism businesses 'driven to the wall'

Thomas Hennig, who runs a sailing school and accommodation at the lake and speaks for the Eder-Diemel regional association (RVED), described the situation as catastrophic. Two-thirds of the lake bed is dry, and water sports are only possible near the dam wall. "Our business has had a 50 percent drop in revenue for the second year," Hennig said. Many operators are on the brink. "By now every third business is up for sale. But who wants to buy that, when we have no water in the lake?"

This is sheer madness. In principle, both regions are being driven to the wall.

He warned that visitors lost this season may not return. "Everything we have built up here over the last 50 years is going down the drain within the last few years because the lake is not managed sustainably," Hennig added. He called for a binding long-term concept that protects tourism alongside water management.

Balancing act between lake and river

The Edersee's water is released to maintain navigability in the Weser river and the Mittelland Canal, a federal waterway. Köhne said seasonal releases normally range from four cubic metres per second in winter to about 30 cubic metres per second during dry summers, with occasional higher peaks. Since a few days ago, the discharge has been cut to a minimum of six cubic metres per second. "Regulation of the Upper Weser is no longer possible once the dam's support is stopped," Köhne stated, noting that this imposes restrictions on freight and passenger shipping. The reservoir, he said, was already considered too small when built to keep the Upper Weser navigable year-round, and climate change now makes that task impossible.

As long as weather conditions do not change significantly, this unfortunate situation will remain stable for a while.

Political stalemate and ecological concerns

The annual summer drawdown has been a political flashpoint for years, pitting the tourism industry along the lake against the needs of river transport. Hennig said the reputational damage is immense and accused authorities of ignoring the ecological consequences for the Edersee and the Eder downstream to Hann. Münden. No immediate relief is forecast, and the low-water regime is expected to persist without substantial rain.