"Quality of life, 'renaturation' and flood protection are the reasons for the major Elstermühlgraben project," said Leipzig's mayor Burkhard Jung. "Since 2004, we have been gradually uncovering this section of the over 800 year old Elstermühlgraben, which originally ran underground for almost 1000 metres. Water lends a very special flair to a city, it provides variety to houses and streets, it literally refreshes the city. The city council could not be more grateful to the local residents. Without their patience and understanding for this long-term building project and its disruptive effects, the centre of the city's newfound attractiveness would not have been possible."
Funding for flood protection
Minister president Michael Kretschmer: "The opening of the next section of the Elstermühlgraben is another step towards climate-friendly infrastructure in Leipzig. The uncovering of the Elstermühlgraben improves flood protection and quality of life at the same time. In providing funding support, the Free State has made an important contribution to the implementation of the project. With a grant of over 5 million euros, it is one of the biggest projects in the flood protection investment programme in Saxony." The Free State has supported the project in its entirety since construction began in 2004. Since then, just under 5.64 million euros has been spent as part of the "FRGH" (Förderrichtlinie Gewässer/Hochwasserschutz) funding programme for the construction section from Stadthafen to Elsterstraße and from Lessingstraße to the Natural History Museum, a total of 13.7 million euros from the Free State's funding programme. The Free State will also contribute to the total of around 17 million euros for the next section from Elsterstraße to Lessingstraße.
A total of around 6.64 million euros was invested specifically for the section between Lessingstraße and Thomasiusstraße plus Funkenburgbrücke which opened on 11 June 2019 and is approximately 85 metres long and 7.5 metres wide. The City of Leipzig allocated approximately 4.04 million euros through the "FRGH" (Förderrichtlinie Gewässer/Hochwasserschutz) funding programme and "Brücken in die Zukunft".
The reconstruction
12 metre deep reinforced concrete piles were installed and 6,300 cubic metres of soil were excavated to reinforce the banks of the new riverbed. A 1.5 metre thick concrete floor was then installed and covered with armour stones. The river walls are covered in natural stone. Furthermore, peninsulas were installed and floating logs were attached to staggered gabions. The stairs to Elstermühlgraben are inspired by the typical entrance stairs of Leipzig's historic mill races. The water level is approximately 1.2 metres at a flow rate of 2 cubic metres per second.
Funkenburgbrücke is a single-span bridge made from reinforced concrete. The railings and the lighting now correspond to the design concept for all Leipzig mill races. At Thomasiusstraße 2 to 2c, a section of the street with a length of 60 metres and a width of 7.5 metres was fully upgraded. The cycle/footbridge was installed at the building at Lessingstraße 24 using non-slip planks across the Elstermühlgraben as part of the future route from Stadthafen to Ranstädter Steinweg.
The square adjacent to Thomasiusstraße 6 was also redesigned. New trees, shrubs, two benches with bins and a snake mosaic that covers the entire square as an artistic element enhance the appeal of this spot.
Uncovering due to be completed by 2023
The Elstermühlgraben between Lessingstraße and Ranstädter Steinweg was piped at the beginning of the 1960s using concrete pipes with an inner diameter of 1.5 metres and then backfilled. This ensured a minimal amount of running water into the unfilled sections of the Elstermühlgraben. The Elstermühlgraben was reopened in 2004.
The section between Stadthafen and Elsterstraße, and the one parallel to Ranstädter Steinweg up to the Natural History Museum have been completed. The uncovering of the entire river is to be completed by the end of 2023. This will be followed in the coming years by the replacement of the bridges Elsterbrücke and Poniatowskibrücke, the hydraulic engineering of the area between them, strengthening of the dam and the completion of the jetties. This will allow the operation of the so-called water tourism route 3 from Stadthafen Leipzig to Auensee and on to Halle.