Swelling distances

Swelling distances are sections in rivers where hydropower use unnaturally rapid changes in the amount of discharges. At times of higher electricity demand, more water is processed here in the power plant, the outflow from the power plant and thus in the distance below the power plant is usually higher than the inflow into the storage space. The water level in the storage area sinks, in the distance below occurs swollen. At times of lower electricity demand, the conditions are exactly the other way around, one speaks of sunk. This so-called swelling operation has more or less negative effects on the ecological status of the river, depending on the size (sunk ratio) and the speed and frequency of the flow change. The data state is in line with the 2015 National Water Management Plan (NGP) and will be updated following the publication of the NGP 2021.