The Hessian Nature Conservation Ac t bans the technical regulation of rivers and streams in the open country because of its negative effects on the vegetation, fauna and visual resources. The Hessian Water Ac t requires that rivers and streams that are not naturally regulated be restored to their natural conditions. Both acts, however, leave open to w hat extent the present objectives of river regulation -the stabilization of banks and flood allevation -are to remain in force.
Procedures of "natural river engineering" can help to improve the visual resources and the living conditions for the vegetation and fauna along technically regulated rivers and streams, without interfering with the present objectives of river regulation. Based on the present Nature Conservation and Water Acts it can be concluded that the application of these procedures complies with the requirements for a natural condition of waters. This interpretation, however, is not consistent with the regulations of the "Regionaler Raumordnungsplan Südhessen" .This plan gives priority to nature conservation, ground-water protection and flood plain conservation rather than other land utilization and thereby obviates the previous objectives of river regulation.
A comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of present land utilization in the flood plains shows that measures of flood control are only justified in settlement areas whereas the agricultural use of land must be brought in line with the requirements of water renaturation in the public interest. To achive this, specific support measures, considered vital for the renaturation of waters, will have to be taken.
Against the background of present developments in the area of nature conservation and agricultural policy, the proposed measures of renaturation appear to be realisable.