Helicopter searches for wells: Oldenburg is fighting against water shortages!

Helicopter searches for wells: Oldenburg is fighting against water shortages!

Drinking water promotion is currently the focus in the Oldenburg district, and the Oldenburg-East Frisian Water Association (OOWV) is tackling the problem at its roots. The increasing demand for water is forcing those responsible to explore new funding options. To accomplish this, an innovative aerial measurement method is used. According to information from NWZ online A helicopter with a huge SkyTEM antenna flies over the area to examine soil layers up to 500 meters deep.

The reconnaissance flights take off from Ganderkesee airfield and will be carried out until Saturday. Geophysicist Rasmus Teilmann and his Danish team control the measurements, which not only serve to search for new well locations, but also keep an eye on impending water shortages. In the OOWV association area, the demand for water has increased noticeably over the last 15 years, while the existing water rights have already been largely exhausted.

A look into the earth

The innovative SkyTEM system, which uses a large antenna to fly over open spaces at a height of 30 meters, has proven to be a cost-effective alternative to traditional drilling methods. Settlement areas and forests are left out of these exploratory flights so that work can be carried out in a targeted and environmentally friendly manner. In total, the helicopter will travel approximately 700 kilometers, with the data collected critical to analysis and planned well locations.

The focus is particularly on certain areas in Hude, Ganderkesee, Hatten and Dötlingen, which offer particularly good conditions for drinking water production due to ice age layers. Loud IWU Such renewed measures to conserve water resources can not only meet current needs, but also be prepared for the long term.

Urgent warning signals

Looking beyond the region, a current study shows that there is a threat of water shortages in numerous German districts. Loud ZDF 201 out of 401 districts and independent cities are already affected by groundwater stress. The pressure is particularly intense in eastern Germany and various regions of Lower Saxony. Over 50 percent of the groundwater in Germany flows into the drinking water supply, which underlines the importance of the measures.

The causes are diverse. Agriculture, mining and industry contribute significantly to the overuse of water resources. Climate change further exacerbates the problem, leading to regulated water withdrawals in hot summers. In this tense situation, the OOWV's efforts to achieve sustainable water management are therefore of great urgency.