Water Protection

Rivers and Lakes in Potsdam

Due to the transformation of the landscape during the Ice Age, the Potsdam region contains a large number of bodies of water. The backbone of Potsdam’s water system consists of the river Havel with its so-called Havel lakes and the river Nuthe as its main waterways. All in all, ten percent of Potsdam’s urban area is comprised of water.

Groundwater Protection

In order to achieve good groundwater protection there are designated protected areas for all of the drainage basins in the waterworks. In these protected areas, discharge is subject to various restrictions and prohibitions.

Rainfall Runoff

The annual average rainfall in Potsdam is approximately 600 l/m². More than half of the rainfall evaporates from the surface of the water and the forested areas in particular, to a lesser degree from impervious surfaces such as roofs, courtyards, streets and town squares.