]> 2026-04-09T05:06:27+00:00 Case study:Lebendige Alster 500 en Draft Lebendige Alster Yes No Yes true Yes 53.5489335,9.9856209 Wolfram Lebendige Alster Hammer ,, ,,, 26260 2011 2455562.5 In progress The Alster river is 56-kilometer-long, originates near the community of Henstedt and ends with its estuary into the river Elbe in Hamburg. The best-known part of the Alster is the Alster Lake, which is formed in the inner-city area of Hamburg by the Inner and Outer Alster. Since 2011, the cooperation project “Lebendige Alster” works to improve the ecological condition of the Alster, with its various, sometimes rare, habitats, and to raise awareness of nature conservation. Like many other rivers the impact of urban development is evident in e.g. biodiversity and hydromorphology. Some of these manmade impassable constructions can already be overcome. Due to newly built fish ladders migratory fish can return to the Alster, but then end up in the poorly structured and not very natural area of the canal (Fleet). The absence of natural vegetation confronts many water organisms with difficult living conditions. Here numerous innovative measures to create new living spaces have already been implemented in the canals and the project aims to add more. During the day, the water in the Alsterfleet is dammed and drained at night, creating strong currents. For this purpose, a “current cocoon” has already been inserted into the canal to create sheltered zones during strong currents. An old typical cargo ship (Grüne Schute) was also rebuilt into a vegetation rich area, where fish and insects can access the Schute through recesses in the ship's side and in the floor. The roots of willow and alder, reeds and aquatic plants offer protection, are hiding places and sources of food. Besides offering positive effects to the surrounding vegetation, the Grüne Schute is also used as an educational venue to allow schoolchildren, citizens and other interested parties to participate in the project and to provide environmental education. Outside of urban Hamburg, numerous habitat types which have become rare were designed in the first part of the project. A shortage of dead wood, as a result of regular removal, was counteracted with controlled tolerance of deadwood accumulations. Introduction of mobile deadwood as well as installation of individual trees including crowns resulted in improved hydromorphology. The gravel-gap system of the riverbed as an important habitat was supported with the removal of sand, installation of gravel depots on undercut slope areas, narrowing of waters with gravel made flow deflectors. In addition to the near-natural development of the Alster waters, there are also improvements in local recreation and environmental education. Lebendige Alster lebendige alster Yes Habitat and biodiversity Hydromorphology Water quality Urban DEHH_al_05/15/16 Alster 2021-01-31T19:41:49Z 2459246.320706 2021-01-31T19:55:30Z 2459246.3302083 Lebendige Alster