Giessen firefighters rescue fish from heat at Lake Schwanenteich

In Giessen, Germany, firefighters and municipal water services conducted a nighttime emergency operation at Lake Schwanenteich to save fish threatened by high temperatures and low oxygen levels.

Due to extreme heat, the lake water temperature rose to dangerous levels, significantly reducing dissolved oxygen. To combat this, authorities used pumps to circulate and aerate approximately 5,000 cubic meters of water, representing about one-fifth of the lake's total volume. This intervention lowered the water temperature by roughly two degrees Celsius and increased oxygen concentration to seven milligrams per liter, providing the fish with viable survival conditions.

The operation, which took place during the cooler early morning hours, involved professional firefighters, the Middle Hesse water company, and 12 members of the Giessen Volunteer Fire Department.