© Jeannot Ries / RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg
Clearing operations were launched on Monday, with about one hectare of waste needing to be removed from the Our.
When last week's floods started becoming critical in the wider region, local authorities had to consider opening one of the dam's hatches to let water flow through. In the end, the move was unnecessary and the dam actually helped protect Vianden.
Clearing operations at the top of the dam started on Monday. The river has brought masses of waste from Belgium that now need to be removed step by step, including trees and caravans. Due to the consistent pressure from the Our, waste is being compressed into a compact mass. In some areas, this mass has a water-depth of one metre.
The operation is run with the help of boats and heavy machinery. Experts currently estimate that they will have to work for two to three weeks to finish clearing the dam area. Objects, such as gas canisters from campings, pose an additional danger for the teams conducting the clearing operations.
The dam itself also helped redirect significant water masses during the floods, as there is a pumping mechanism that gets water up to the basin on Niklosbierg.
