On 3-4 December 2024, a meeting of a team of expert hydrogeologists from the W1 Working Group on Hydrology & Hydrogeology of the German Polish Boundary Waters Commission took place in Cottbus.

During the meeting, delegations from both countries presented and discussed the results of groundwater monitoring, which is carried out on both sides of the border within the framework of a bilateral cooperation agreement.

The subject of the meeting was border areas within the range of influence of the Turów, Nochten, Reichwalde and Janschwalde lignite mines. The German side was represented at the meeting by representatives of the Saxony (LfULG) and Brandenburg (LfUBB) administrations, representatives of the mines (LEAG), and the Polish side by representatives of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management-NRI, PGI-NRI and employees of the Turów mine. The Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute participates in measurements within the framework of the task of the State Geological Survey entitled ‘Monitoring of Groundwater in Boundary Zones of the Republic of Poland for the Purposes of Implementation of Agreements and International Cooperation’.

Work of the expert team of hydrogeologists from the W1 Working Group on Hydrology & Hydrogeology of the German Polish Boundary Waters Commission

In addition to discussing current survey results, there were talks on the technical condition of the observation boreholes and the reliability of the survey data, plans for further lignite mining on both sides of the border, as well as plans for the rehabilitation of the decommissioned opencasts.

Chairmen of the German and Polish delegations during the signing of the meeting minutes

The German side presented the assumptions of the hydrogeological model of the Nochten and Reichwalde mine area and presented the reclamation process of the Cottbus Nort opencast, which was replaced by the Ostsee Lake. Reclamation plans for the Janschwalde mine, which was decommissioned in 2023, were also presented in detail.

Flooding of the Cottbus Nord opencast mine and participants during a field trip

In turn, representatives of the Turów mine presented a plan for the continued operation of the open pit.

Meeting participants during a field trip

After signing the minutes, the meeting participants went on a field trip to the area of the former Cottbus Nord opencast mine, where they familiarised themselves with the reclamation work carried out to date and the water diversion system from the River Spree.

Text: Anna Kuczyńska, Karol Zawistowski, Tomasz Gidziński