When Deutsche Bahn intervenes in river courses or riverbank areas due to construction work, it provides appropriate ecological compensation. DB ensures that the river regains its natural dynamics and that the riverbanks develop into valuable habitats for a wide variety of animal and plant species.

Renaturalization through floodways

For example, as a compensation measure for the construction of the Berlin–Nuremberg line (VDE8) in the Main valley near Wiesen, nine floodways were created. These floodways allow floodwaters to be optimally distributed across the landscape and restore the river’s original retention capacity in this section. The newly created ground areas were sown using the traditional so-called Heudrusch method. In this process, harvested seeds are collected from selected donor areas nearby and spread on the new sites. Compared with conventional lawn seed mixtures, this creates extensive, ecologically valuable habitats with native vegetation.

Along this major project, numerous other watercourses have also been renaturalized. DB created deep-and shallow-water areas within the rivers, restoring a more natural river structure and improving habitats for animals and plants.

Flood protection through floodways

In Gelnhausen, Hesse, a floodway is also being created as an ecological compensation measure during the expansion of the Hanau–Gelnhausen railway line. The so-called “Flood Basin North” is connected to the Kinzig River and can hold large volumes of water during floods, helping to protect the urban area from flooding.