This ensures that the regional cooperation will receive project funding of up to EUR 15 million (80 percent) from the state of Lower Saxony for the flood protection measures defined in the submitted concept by the end of 2024. The city of Salzgitter has committed to providing 5 percent of the co-financing, the district of Hildesheim 55 percent, the city of Hildesheim 25 percent and the district of Goslar 15 percent.

Now nothing stands in the way of the official founding of the "Innerste Flood Protection Association". The district of Hildesheim, which has been responsible for the management of the flood cooperation from the outset, will continue to perform this task. The next step is now to prepare and press ahead with the joint establishment of the flood protection association. In addition, project kick-off talks are to be held with the Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal and Nature Conservation (NLWKN) and the Ministry of the Environment as soon as possible.

Salzgitter's city councillor Michael Tacke explained: "The city of Salzgitter did not hesitate for a second to join the cooperation and the association, as this task can only be implemented jointly in relation to the river basin." The money from the agreement will initially be used to fund ten projects on the Nette, Schildau and Innerste rivers with 80 percent funding from the state. While the preliminary work for the Bornhausen flood basin and the expansion of the Nette in Rhüden has already been largely completed and the start of construction is in sight, the planning for the other measures near Grasdorf, Hohenrode, Itzum, Henneckenrode, Mechtshausen and Othfresen has yet to begin.

"With a contract volume of 15 million euros from the special fund, which has so far totaled 27 million euros, we are sending an important signal in the area that was hit hard by the 2017 floods," said Minister Lies.

Further contracts with the "Northern Harz Foreland Flood Partnership" and the "Upper Leine Flood Protection Area Cooperation" are to follow soon. "In view of climate change and its consequences, we need to stay on the ball and adapt flood protection accordingly," said Lies, "there is still a lot to do!"