Czech court overturns Nové Mlýny reservoir water level increase

The Supreme Administrative Court has overturned a decision regarding the Nové Mlýny reservoir, ruling that the Ministry of Agriculture acted unlawfully. The dispute centers on a plan by Povodí Moravy to increase the water level of the middle and lower reservoirs to 170.35 meters above sea level to support agricultural irrigation.

Environmental activists have long opposed the plan due to its potential negative impact on bird habitats and other wildlife along the reservoir banks. While the South Moravian Regional Authority initially granted permissions in 2023, the court determined that the Ministry's attempt to postpone the enforcement of water rights until environmental exceptions were secured was illegal. The court emphasized that a general reference to drought and climate change is insufficient to override nature protection laws; a specific public interest that outweighs environmental conservation must be documented before water rights permits are issued.