The last coal-fired power plant in Germany is to be decommissioned by 2038 at the latest. In NRW, the coal phase-out is expected to be a reality by 2030. This will also have a huge impact on water management in the respective regions. The water management challenges associated with the upcoming recultivation work in the east and west will be discussed in this session. Numerous lake landscapes will be created from today's opencast lignite mines. Where does the required water come from and what qualitative requirements need to be considered when flooding the opencast mines? These central questions will be the subject of the session. The solutions found in Germany will also be of great interest in other regions of the world.