Living Sprat - Development of a watercourse and floodplain area

With the project "Living Sprotte", the city of Schmölln pursued the holistic development of a watercourse and floodplain in three coordinated subprojects on behalf of 14 riparian communities of the Sprotte within the framework of the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive:

- Subproject Model Project River Basin Management
- Subproject Water Experience Trail Sprotte
- SubprojectABM Development of the Sprotte Floodplain

Initial situation at the Sprotte:
- insufficient biological passability due to many weirs
- obstructed watercourse sections
- massive input of soils (silt, nutrients) into the watercourse due to high water erosion risk in the
catchment area and lack of riparian strips

Cooperation of all riparian communities of the Sprotte with the objectives:
- Preservation and development of the Sprotte floodplain as a landscape-shaping guiding structure
- Flood protection: precipitation retention in the area
- Biological continuity and renaturation: improvement of living conditions for plants and animals
- Recreation: development of the Sprotte floodplain as a recreational area and connecting axis
- Water quality: Protection against diffuse inputs, wastewater treatment

Tasks of IPU as project management
- Preparation and monitoring of projects
- Cost control and preparation of funding
- Preparation of a catalogue of potential compensation measures
- Lobbying, Public relations

Factors of success
- broad participation from the beginning
- consideration of the overall watercourse
- personal commitment of local politicians in the region
- regular information on the status of work
- financing of management
- strong support from authorities
- visible results on a small scale.