Water vision Vechta: Focus on the future of water management!

Water vision Vechta: Focus on the future of water management!

The final event of the “Water Vision Vechta” project took place in the Vechta district hall on July 8, 2025, which is considered the starting signal for the implementation phase of the project. At this event, actors from administration, agriculture, politics, science and civil society came together to develop a participatory vision for the protection and use of water in the Vechta district. Under the motto “Thinking about the future together – Results. Impulses. Participation.” The results of the last few months were presented and valuable impulses were given for the future. Mynewsdesk reports.

As part of the event, District Administrator Tobias Gerdesmeyer and Beata Punte from trafo:agrar, University of Vechta, gave greetings. Project coordinator Lisa Grützmacher gave a review of the project steps carried out and results, while landscape architect Hyco Verhaagen presented the vision for sustainable water management. Tanja Föhr took over the moderation and graphic recording of the event.

Challenges and solutions

The second part of the event was dedicated to the discussion about the implementation of the vision developed, in which best practice examples such as the “Sponge Landscape” model project in the Dinklage Castle Forest were highlighted. The “Water Network 3.0” project was also presented, which includes 23 measures for sustainable water management. A central result of the discussion was the identification of challenges such as a lack of responsibilities, resources and structures that need to be overcome during implementation.

A uniform conclusion showed that change requires clear responsibilities, open dialogue formats and joint action. The participants developed suggestions for short-term and long-term implementations in a participatory workshop. Ideas included educational offerings, advice on construction projects and thematic excursions to raise awareness of the issue of water.

The importance of water

Water is an essential resource for life and plays a crucial role in drinking water supplies, agricultural production, energy production and industrial processes. Loud BMBF Climate change is a growing threat to water resources, leading to more frequent extreme weather events and affecting the availability and quality of water. Particular challenges include changing rainfall patterns and increasing water scarcity, which affect many regions.

This situation is alarming as approximately 50% of the world's population suffers from severe seasonal water shortages and 2.2 billion people lack access to clean water. Greenkama highlights that such water crises can have not only ecological, but also social and political consequences. With the “Water: N – Research and Innovation for Sustainability” program, the federal government has launched initiatives to develop solutions to these problems and promote sustainable water management.

In view of the current developments and challenges, the “Water Vision Vechta” event is an important step towards cooperative and sustainable water management in the Vechta district. The committed cooperation of the various actors is crucial in order to translate the knowledge gained into concrete measures and to secure the water supply for future generations.