Poltermühle pond in Grüna is being repaired
Construction starts on 13 September - bridge over Unritzbach temporarily closed
The Poltermühlenteich pond in the Grüna district is being repaired. From Tuesday, 13 September, a temporary superstructure will first be erected on the bridge over the Unritzbach so that it can be used by heavy machinery. During this work, the bridge is expected to be closed to traffic for three to four days. Direct neighbours and allotment gardeners with access via this road will be informed of the exact times by notice.
The pond will be drained and fished out from Monday 19 September.
The Poltermühlenteich is a protected habitat according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act (§ 30). In 2014, the pond was still the spawning ground with the largest documented amphibian population. Over the past few years, the number of amphibians has declined significantly, partly due to increasingly dry summers.
Due to existing damage to the pond dam, the water level is dropping, causing parts of the pond to dry out, but also increasing the water temperature of the remaining water. This means that fewer offspring can develop from the spawn and the population is shrinking.
The pond itself is located in what is known as the main headwater, i.e. the stream flows directly through the pond. Unlike ponds in the tributary, this meant that during the last flood there was a risk of neighbouring properties being flooded due to insufficient water drainage. As a remedy, a temporary drain was therefore dug into the dam. Small animal passages and other causes also mean that the water level cannot be maintained.
To counteract the decline in amphibians, the pond dam is now being sealed with sheet piling and the drain is being renewed with a precast concrete element so that the necessary drainage cross-section is available even during floods.
Some trees will have to be felled to create the necessary construction clearance. In addition, the sheet piling to be installed will have a massive impact on the root system, which will also require tree felling.
The majority of the construction work will be completed by the end of 2022. Greening work will be carried out in early spring 2023, weather permitting.
The costs of the construction project total approx. 390,000 euros. They will be subsidised with approx. 188,900 euros from the economic stimulus programme "Sustainably out of the crisis" with grants from the Free State of Saxony on the basis of the budget approved by the state parliament.
Planning and construction supervision are being carried out by IWU, Chemnitz. The construction work was awarded to STEINLE Bau GmbH, Oschatz, following a public tender.