In urban areas in the southeast of Drenthe, such as Emmen and Coevorden, water may again be extracted from the ponds. The abstraction ban that the Vechtstromen Water Board instituted at the end of June will be lifted from November.
The rule was created because of persistent drought and warm temperatures, which have degraded water quality in urban areas. For example, the oxygen content of the ponds continued to decrease, which can lead to fish mortality and blue-green algae.
Those risks have since decreased, reports Waterschap Vechtstromen. “The abstraction bans on ground and surface water that were introduced this summer will therefore be withdrawn.”
Despite this, there is still a significant precipitation deficit and low groundwater levels on the high sandy soils, warns Vechtstromen. In addition to Southeast Drenthe, this water board manages a large part of the waters in Overijssel.