How is our Danube doing? Get active at the Thinkathon!

How is our Danube doing? Get active at the Thinkathon!

An exciting event is on the program for the Danube region on Friday, September 19th: The RiverRecreation Thinkathon addresses the current situation of our Danube. Organized by science2public from Halle/Saale and ProWissen Potsdam, the event is aimed at committed environmental enthusiasts, students and pupils. The number of participants is limited to 15 people - so if you are interested, you should register quickly!

The Thinkathon begins on Friday with an informative tour of the Regensburg sewage treatment plant, where participants can explore the influence of human activities on water quality between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The meeting point is Am Kreuzhof 2, 93055 Regensburg. For those who do not wish to take part in the sewage treatment plant visit, there is the option of just taking part in the subsequent workshop.

Insight into the condition of the Danube

The second day, Saturday, September 20th, starts at 9 a.m. with a workshop in collaboration with the water management office. The causes and consequences of the state of water bodies are highlighted here and how important access to public data is. The meeting point is the Schreiberhaus at St. Katharinenplatz 5, 93059 Regensburg. In the afternoon there is an excursion to the Danube, during which water samples are taken and analyzed with the support of experts. This practical experience gives participants the opportunity to actively engage with water quality. The sample collection meeting also takes place at the Schreiberhaus.

But what do we actually know about the water quality of the Danube? How waterquality.net describes, the water quality of the river varies depending on the section. While some places have good values, there are also sections where the water quality leaves something to be desired. Regular sampling is therefore necessary to assess the condition of the Danube. Pollutants such as oil residues, microplastics and heavy metals represent a serious environmental problem. However, there is hope: an improvement in water quality in Germany has been noted over the last 30 years.

The quality of bathing in the Danube depends heavily on the respective water quality and the current; The precise location where you go into the water has a decisive influence on your bathing pleasure. If you are unsure whether it is advisable to swim in the river, you should contact the relevant municipalities who can provide up-to-date information.

Commitment to nature

The Thinkathon ends in October with an optional second part of the workshop, which deals with the evaluation of the event. For this purpose, individual interviews are planned in order to obtain the participants' insights and suggestions for improvement. The offering surrounding the Thinkathon leaves no questions unanswered and gives the committed target group the chance to actively contribute to improving the Danube.

Many thanks to science2public and ProWissen Potsdam for organizing these informative events and their commitment to a healthy Danube! So if you are interested in the topic and want to contribute something to our environment, you should mark this date in your calendar. Participating in such a thinkathon can not only be educational, but also fun!