"Desludge now!", "Mowing only helps in the garden!": On Sunday, sailors and their boats formed a chain on the Baldeneysee, which is sought after by the water plant Elodeheim. On large banners, they asked the Ruhr Association responsible for the lake to desludge the water in a sustainable manner. The herbaceous growth is now so strong that sailing is increasingly restricted. The local clubs fear for their existence.
The clubs based on the lake fear for their existence
In the "Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung", the first chairman of the Baldeneysee sailing community, Heinz W. Gunkel, said: "The experience of recent weeks shows that the bottom of the lake continues to grow towards water sports enthusiasts."
The YACHT had already reported in detail on the problem last summer under the heading "In the stranglehold of the waterweed" (issue 17/2016). The other waters along the Ruhr, such as the Harkortsee, also suffer from the aquatic plant Elodele, which was brought in from America. The Ruhrverband had it dredged in vain in the past: two years later the aquatic plant spread there again.
The "waterweed" is the fast-growing aquatic plant Elodea
Instead of dredging, the association recently decided to "mow" the water. However, that is not sustainable enough. Worse still, Gunkel told the WDR: "The mowed parts of water plants loop around the keels and oars when sailing." Two regattas have already had to be canceled this year.
If their protest goes unheard, they will, according to Gunkel, stay away from the Essen Sailing Week, the most important annual event in the area - in order to set an example.
Report from the YACHT from last year about the situation at the Baldeneysee