Wiesbaden's city center is criss-crossed by a network of canals with a total length of over 14.6 kilometers. The canals are over 3.6 kilometers long and two meters wide. This dimensioning means that the stream channels are accessible and were already considered a tourist attraction in imperial times.

The Salzbachkanal, which consists of artfully masoned basket arches and whose floor runs up to seven meters below Wilhelmstraße and Friedrich-Ebert-Allee, is a special feature. The Salzbach channel, which is lined with sidewalks, is four and a half meters high and five meters wide. The Wiesbaden Canal Construction Office once invited visitors to take guided tours through the underworld of Wilhelmstrasse from Warme Damm to Mühltal. Tours are still offered today. The canal is capable of draining around 85,000 liters of water per second.

However, not all canals are accessible. In many cases, the streams run in narrow concrete channels.

One of the many tasks of the Environment Agency is the maintenance of the stream channels. Particularly in the event of heavy rainfall and flooding, the stream channels must be able to function and safely drain the sudden masses of water. Due to their age, the stream channels show minor and major damage in some places. Missing or cracked grout, ingrowing tree roots, debris deposits, cracks and shard formation are the most common problems. In order to assess the condition of the stream channels, they are regularly inspected or inspected using a TV camera. These inspections are carried out by specialist companies and form the basis for the creation of renovation concepts adapted to the respective damage.