Mining for brown coal, especially by open-cast mining, changes landscapes dramatically. This field trip will give an impression on the planning and management of active mining in the Upper Lusatian brown field. It will provide the opportunity to see an open-cast mine and discuss water and soil management. The challenge not only for the scientific community of planning and implementing the reuse of the newly emerging landscape is shown on a site with agricultural reuse, forest reuse, and reuse for natural succession. The social impact is also enormous. Thousands of people have had to be resettled as a result of the advancing mining. The trip will touch on this topic by visiting a resettlement.
Since the brown field of the Lusatian region comprises an area of about 850 km² the whole region has faced many structural changes. We will visit a site where recreational reuse is pronounced, to give people a working alternative. In line with the intention to develop this region with a sustainable perspective the “Internationale Bauausstellung (IBA) Fürst-Pückler-Land” was founded. Projects like the Energy Heritage Route were initiated. During the trip you will have the opportunity to talk to the project manager (K. Feucht) at the last stop before returning to Dresden.
The Stadtentwässerung Dresden (SEDD, municipal drainage and sewage treatment company of Dresden) runs the largest and one of the most modern waste water treatments plants in Eastern Germany. Waste water of 650,000 people is purified with various mechanical, biological and chemical processes. This corresponds to 120,000 cubic metres per day.
The consumption of electric and thermal energy poses a substantial expense factor for the operation of the sewage purification and sludge processing plants. A modern sludge processing plant of the SEDD produces a daily output of 16,000 cubic metres of sewage gas.
In the focus of the excursion are the subjects of sewage purification and the usage of energy. The participants visit the plants of the various cleaning stages as well as some sites of energy production. A competent representative of SEDD explains procedures and processes.
Please note: Weather adequate clothing is needed, including boots or shoes with anti-skidding sole. A bus from SEDD will bring us to the plant and back to Hygiene Museum.
In 2002 an unexpected extreme flood hit Dresden with full force. Large parts of the town were affected. Settlement areas as well as industrial and commercial areas and the historic city centre with its famous buildings e. g. Semper Opera and Zwinger. This flood caused damages of more than one billion Euros.
As one of the consequences, Stadtentwässerung Dresden (SEDD, municipal drainage and sewage treatment company of Dresden) built up a flood discharge pumping station close to an existing stormwater overflow tank in order to make Dresden´s sewage system more resilient.
Both facilities are installed at Dresden´s largest sewer. If the sewer´s capacity is going to be exceeded due to heavy rainfall, the tank collects mixed water which otherwise would flow into the river Elbe. After the rainfall, the waste water goes back to the main sewer to be treated at the waste water treatment plant. In case of very heavy rainfalls exceeding even the capacity of the underground stromwater overflow tank, or a significant flood, the flood pumping station transports waste water from the sewer system into the river Elbe, to avoid a collapse of the sewer system, causing inner city areas flooded by waste water.
The entire construction was built underground and is covered with topsoil. An appropriate seeding with endemic weeds and other plants ensures a semi-natural adaptation to the nature of the landscape zone Elbwiesen.
The excursion guides us to the meadows along river Elbe in Dresden-Johannstadt. A representative from SEDD will show us the flood pumping station and explain the functioning of this two plants as part of a modern drainage management system.
Please note: Weather adequate clothing is needed. As we go by tram and bus to the event site, please make sure, that you bring your name tag with the public transportation ticket with you.
The Weißeritz green belt is a former riverscape between the inner City and the southwest of Dresden. This area had an industrial character for a long period until the late 1990s. After the political change in Eastern Germany and the German Reunification, most of the industry along the river Weißeritz broke down leaving abandoned brownfield sites. Subsequently, several studies were conducted aiming at the development of a green belt. The City of Dresden, finally, formulated the superordinate target of the district development project “Weißeritz” in 2002 (funded by ERDF – European Regional Development Fund). The priority was the removal of partially contaminated brownfield sites and the restoration of the scenic and recreational potential of the riverscape. As the Weißeritz riverscape was strongly affected by the unexpected flood in Dresden in 2002, aspects of flood risk management were likewise involved in the development of the Weißeritz green belt. The significance of the green belt in regard of climate adaptation is becoming more and more important.
A representative of the City Planning Office together with a representative of Dresden´s Environmental Office will show us different projects realized along the former riverside implemented in the past. Furthermore, we will get information on future (sub-)projects planned for the future development of the Weißeritz green belt.