First results of the study are expected to be released in 2022. Last year, officials already planned the potential expansion of 17 flowing waters in the Grand Duchy in an effort to reduce the risk for floods in some areas. In a recent interview, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development Carole Dieschbourg noted: "Since 2015, close to 24 kilometres of riverbanks have already been naturalised."
Especially the Alzette and the Sûre are concerned by the process. Hesperange Mayor Marc Lies provided insight into the process, as a local stream has been expanded over the course of the past six years: "It used to be that heavy rain caused floods in a specific residential area. Now that work on the stream has been concluded, we have not had a single problem, not even during the heavy rains last month."
Last year, local officials in Mersch decided against expansion work around the Alzette. Mayor Michel Malherbe explained: "We have a beautiful 17 hectare park in Mersch, and naturalisation work would have meant splitting the area into two with a large moat. We don't want to accept that."
Mayor Malherbe concluded that naturalisation processes will only limit flood risks, but not abolish them completely.
