Bodies of Water in the Lower Oder Valley

Water biotopes account for almost 15.8% (1,646 hectares) of the National Park. Of this, 659 hectares account for the Oder, including the Schwedt crossway, West Oder and Hohensaaten-Friedrichsthaler Waterway.

A further 670 hectares are mainly determined by backwaters of the Oder and other (temporary) bodies of standing water. A major role is played by 286 hectares of large reed beds in flowing and standing bodies of water. Rare species such as the Flat-Stemmed Pondweed (Potamogeton compressus), Blunt-Leaved Pondweed (Potamogeton obtusifolius), Hair-Like Pondweed (Potamogeton trichoides), Floating Fern (Salvinia natans), Water Soldiers (Stratiotes aloides) ) (alle RL 2 BB), and Common Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) (RL 1 BB) are in part still very common here.

Depending on the water levels of the Oder and the polders, the share of water biotopes is subject to considerable fluctuations. The vegetation period of 2009, on which the mapping for the National Park Plan (?) is based, was characterized by high water levels. In dry years, the proportion of water biotopes can be much lower.

The waters cover several types of habitats according to Annex I of the Flora and Fauna Habitats Directive, i.e. habitat type 3150 – Natural eutrophic lakes with a Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition-type of vegetation. This habitat type is characteristic for most of the standing waters, in particular the oxbows or backwaters of the Oder. The habitat type 3270 according to the Flora and Fauna Habitats Directive, rivers with mud banks with Chenopodium ribric (p.p.) and Bidention (p.p.) vegetation, characterizes the Oder with its shore zones.