07.2026 

City Council Approves Restoration of Salbker See I

At its meeting on June 18, 2026, the City Council of the state capital Magdeburg approved the restoration of Salbker See I (South). Until the late 1980s, Salbker See I was a public bathing lake. In recent years, however, the lake has made headlines due to massive algal blooms with water transparency below 30 cm, the release of toxic and foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide, and, above all, fish die-offs.

The City Council's decision was preceded by a three-year public discussion. UFZ contributed to this process with presentations in council committees, at public meetings in the Südost district, and within the city administration. Our assessment of the situation and our recommendations are based on an extensive monitoring program that began in 2022 and is still ongoing. A summary of our evaluation from June 2024 can be found here. Key elements include a connection to the Elbe as a bypass, withdrawal of diverted water from the deep layer of the lake, and water level retention in spring to ensure that deep water can continue to be discharged during dry summers.