The Challenge
The Oder River forms the border between the German state of Brandenburg on one side and the Polish voivodeships of Lubuskie (Lubusz) and Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania) on the other. The river is a shared resource that supports aquatic life and biodiversity while providing numerous ecosystem services. However, the sustainable management of the Oder faces significant challenges. These have been highlighted by the catastrophic floods and droughts of recent years, as well as by the mass mortality of fish, mussels, and other aquatic organisms caused in 2022 by the alga Prymnesium parvum.
The Project
The challenge of restoring the river system can only be met through cross-border efforts, solutions, and platforms for exchange. In the European Union-funded INTERREG project OderTogether–OdraRazem, researchers from Germany and Poland are working together to compile and analyze information and, in collaboration with water managers and stakeholders from Brandenburg and Poland, develop solutions for the cross-border management of the Oder. The project addresses issues ranging from water resources and water quality to fish biodiversity, fisheries, and other ecosystem services.
The three-year project was launched in October 2025.
Implementation
OderTogether consists of five work packages.
Work Package 1:
Cross-border tools for predicting water quality and the risk of P. parvum blooms
We are developing a model to predict water quality and the risk of mass blooms of Prymnesium. Currently, no such model exists for predicting water quality, either for the shared river section between Brandenburg and Poland or for the Oder River as a whole.
Work Package 2:
Habitat-use dynamics, biodiversity, and resilience of the Oder fish community
We are conducting studies to better understand fish habitat use, movements, and migration patterns. In addition, we are compiling existing information on fish communities in order to identify the key habitat requirements of fish species. Read more
Work Package 3:
Promoting the cross-border sustainable use of Oder fish stocks
This work package focuses on sustainable fisheries. To this end, we collect data to characterize recreational angling activities and assess the potential for cross-border management through comparative analyses. Read more
Work Package 4:
Living with the Oder: Ecosystem services for the people of the region
We examine how people in Brandenburg and the Lubuskie Voivodeship are connected to, value, and make use of the Oder River and the ecosystem services it provides. We seek to understand how these connections influence their perceptions, use, and protection of the river. Read more
Work Package 5:
Comparing scenarios for improving Oder River management
This work package focuses on comparing alternative management measures, for example to improve water quality management and conserve fish biodiversity. The tools developed in the four preceding work packages are integrated into a scenario-based approach. Read more