Riparian strip
Streams and rivers fulfil important tasks for the ecosystem and characterise the cityscape. Anyone who owns a property next to a watercourse, or if the watercourse even runs through the centre of the property, is also obliged to maintain it for their own benefit and for the benefit of the general public.
Riparian strips accompany watercourses in a linear fashion, they provide space for the self-dynamic development of natural bank structures and protect the watercourse from the entry of substances from neighbouring areas. They also help to improve flood safety, provide a habitat for numerous animals and plants and enhance the landscape. For this reason, riparian strips should be kept free of all other uses.
The width of the riparian strips is generally 10 metres on each side of the bank. In built-up inner areas, a reduced minimum width of 5 m, measured from the top of the embankment, applies as an exception[1], [2].
To ensure that the riparian strips can fulfil their functions, there are numerous legal restrictions on their use: The following are prohibited:[1], [2]
- the conversion of grassland,
- the removal of native trees and shrubs and the replanting of non-native trees and shrubs,
- the handling of substances hazardous to water,
- the use of pesticides and fertilisers,
- the depositing, even temporarily, of objects that could obstruct the flow of water or be washed away,
- the construction of buildings and other facilities (including access roads, paths, parking spaces, enclosures, storage areas, garden sheds and other shelters).
A near-natural bank with trees and shrubs appropriate to the location secures the bank and provides refuges for various animal species. Site-appropriate vegetation along bodies of water can consist of the following trees and shrubs, for example:
Trees:
- Black alder (Alnus glutinosa)
- Silver willow (Salix alba)
- Fractured willow (Salix fragili)
- Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)
- Common ash (Fraxinus excelior)
Shrubs:
- Purple willow (Salix purpurea)
- Ear willow (Salix aurita
- Common snowball (Viburnum opulus)
- Peacock (Euonynus europaeus)
- Weeping cherry (Prunus padus)
- Hazelnut (Corylus avellana)
Non-native plants, such as shallow-rooted conifers and conifers, or invasive species, such as Indian balsam or Japanese knotweed, prevent the formation of a dense sward and favour bank erosion during flooding.
Prior to any planned measures in the bank area and within the riparian strip, you should contact the lower water authority to discuss the permissibility and possible boundary conditions in good time.