Plans for extending the existing navigability of the Danube threatens some still intact river sections, as here in Bavaria, and challenge the credibility of the EU Water Framework

Recent negotiation of a new German federal government was closely followed by Danube observers for its stance on river development. Their interest follows the decade-long conflict over waterway development in the last free-flowing section of the Bavarian Danube between Straubing and Vilshofen. While the Bavarian government, ruled by the CSU, pushes for a dam development of the 70 km stretch, the German Bundestag decided in June 2003 via its SPD-Greens government majority to limit development planning to simple river bed improvement.

The ICPDR's Danube Analysis Report 2004 states that the upper Danube is interrupted already by a series of dams and impoundments built to increase navigation and energy exploitation. Only four stretches can still be called free-flowing in the 1000 km upstream from Bratislava.

Consequently, Danube NGOs were upset to learn that in early 2005 the Bavarian government, under the WFD, has "provisionally" designated this river section as heavily modifi ed. While all designations still need to be harmonised at the EU and Danube Basin level, the new Coalition Contract between the government partners CDU, CSU and SPD from November 11 states that any construction and maintenance of federal waterways has to take into account the protection of water bodies and the conservation of ecological functions, as stipulated in the directive.

Alexander Zinke
is a management consultant for the environment, based in Vienna.
www.Zinke.at.