Rhine falls to record low levels as drought strains Europe's rivers
The River Rhine has fallen to record low levels in several locations in Germany and the Netherlands as prolonged heatwaves continue across Europe.
Last week, levels were measured in Cologne in western Germany and in Lobith, where the Rhine crosses from Germany into the Netherlands, that were lower than at any point since records began.
Other major European rivers with important transport, industrial and agricultural functions have also seen record low levels, including the Danube, which flows through 10 countries, and Italy's Po river.
Drought conditions remained stable and critical in most of Europe and worsened in central-western Europe in mid-July, according to the EU's Drought Observatories.
Renewed heatwave conditions are due to continue for at least another week, pushing temperatures above 40C in many central and southern European countries.
Germany's Low Water Information System (NIWIS) said that 44% of the Rhine measuring stations and 78% of those on the Danube had recorded extremely low water levels at the end of July.
The Rhine - which starts in the Swiss Alps and empties in the North Sea - is one of Europe's busiest waterways. Decreasing water levels have sparked concerns about the economic fallout of having to limit navigation and shipping.
On Friday, the navigable water depth at the chokepoint of Kaub near Koblenz hit the 2018 record low of 25cm, before recovering slightly on Monday.
The Kaub gauging station in western Germany is a key indicator of navigability on the Rhine because it measures how heavily cargo vessels can be loaded. Low water levels measured there can severely restrict inland shipping.
Martin Wolters of the Rhine Waterways and Shipping Authority told German outlet WDR that although shipping on the Rhine was unlikely to be suspended altogether, precautions would have to be taken, such as spreading out cargo among more vessels to make them less heavy.
In time, this can result in higher transport costs and supply bottlenecks, Wolters said.
"There comes a time when loads are too small to be worthwhile or vessel owners are worried about damaging their ships," one commodity trader told Reuters.
Last week, the waters of the Danube fell to the lowest levels for 30 years in several countries, including Serbia and Romania, forcing Hungary to shut down its only nuclear power plant.
"We don't know when we will be able to restart [the plant]," Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on Monday. "We hope that it will happen as soon as possible and we hope that the cooling, liberating rain that the forecasters do not yet see coming will arrive."
The drought of the Danube is also causing serious disruption to power supplies in Serbia and Romania.
Serbia cut output at its coal-fired power plants due to the lack of water disrupting cooling systems, while Romania carried out a controlled explosion on a large rock on the banks of the Danube to increase waterflow to the Cernavoda nuclear power plant.
Italy's longest river, the Po, hit a historic low near the northern city of Cremona in late July. Authorities raised the drought alert level to "high" across the entire Po Valley, while experts have issued warnings about potential disruption to the drinking water supply.
Lower river flows at the mouth of the Po have also pushed saltwater from the sea into the riverbed, disrupting the ecosystem and causing serious issues for farmers who use water from the Po to irrigate their crops.
A recent study by scientists at the World Weather Attribution group found that there had been no clear long-term trend towards lower rainfall across much of Europe.
But the researchers said that human-caused climate change was increasing evaporation of moisture through higher temperatures, making drought conditions more likely.
The hot, dry weather also increased the demand for water for household, agricultural and industrial use.
Prolonged periods of drought can also affect the water levels of lakes, impacting availability of freshwater resources.
The EU's Copernicus climate service said the 2022 drought in Europe contributed to increased wildfire activity - which in drove higher than average carbon emissions.
Additional reporting by Mark Poynting
Read the full story at BBC ↗
Several major European rivers have fallen to record low levels during an extended period of heat and drought. The Rhine at Cologne and Lobith, the Danube across central Europe, and Italy's Po river have all recorded their lowest measurements in available records. Temperatures in parts of central and southern Europe are expected to exceed 40°C for at least another week. At the critical Kaub gauging station on the Rhine, navigable water depth reached 25cm last week—equal to the 2018 low. This affects cargo shipping, as lighter loads must be spread across more vessels, potentially increasing transport costs. The Danube's water levels have prompted Hungary to close its nuclear power plant for cooling purposes, while Serbia has reduced coal-fired power output and Romania has taken measures to maintain cooling water for its nuclear facility. Italy has raised drought alerts across the Po Valley due to risks to drinking water and irrigation. Saltwater from the sea is entering the Po's lower reaches. Scientists attribute the drought pattern partly to climate change, which increases evaporation through higher temperatures, though long-term rainfall trends across much of Europe show no clear decline. The 2022 European drought contributed to increased wildfire activity and carbon emissions.
Read the full story at BBC ↗
The River Rhine has fallen to record low levels in several locations in Germany and the Netherlands as prolonged heatwaves continue across Europe.
Last week, levels were measured in Cologne in western Germany and in Lobith, where the Rhine crosses from Germany into the Netherlands, that were lower than at any point since records began.
Other major European rivers with important transport, industrial and agricultural functions have also seen record low levels, including the Danube, which flows through 10 countries, and Italy's Po river.
Drought conditions remained stable and critical in most of Europe and worsened in central-western Europe in mid-July, according to the EU's Drought Observatories.
Renewed heatwave conditions are due to continue for at least another week, pushing temperatures above 40C in many central and southern European countries.
Germany's Low Water Information System (NIWIS) said that 44% of the Rhine measuring stations and 78% of those on the Danube had recorded extremely low water levels at the end of July.
The Rhine - which starts in the Swiss Alps and empties in the North Sea - is one of Europe's busiest waterways. Decreasing water levels have sparked concerns about the economic fallout of having to limit navigation and shipping.
On Friday, the navigable water depth at the chokepoint of Kaub near Koblenz hit the 2018 record low of 25cm, before recovering slightly on Monday.
The Kaub gauging station in western Germany is a key indicator of navigability on the Rhine because it measures how heavily cargo vessels can be loaded. Low water levels measured there can severely restrict inland shipping.
Martin Wolters of the Rhine Waterways and Shipping Authority told German outlet WDR that although shipping on the Rhine was unlikely to be suspended altogether, precautions would have to be taken, such as spreading out cargo among more vessels to make them less heavy.
In time, this can result in higher transport costs and supply bottlenecks, Wolters said.
"There comes a time when loads are too small to be worthwhile or vessel owners are worried about damaging their ships," one commodity trader told Reuters.
Last week, the waters of the Danube fell to the lowest levels for 30 years in several countries, including Serbia and Romania, forcing Hungary to shut down its only nuclear power plant.
"We don't know when we will be able to restart [the plant]," Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on Monday. "We hope that it will happen as soon as possible and we hope that the cooling, liberating rain that the forecasters do not yet see coming will arrive."
The drought of the Danube is also causing serious disruption to power supplies in Serbia and Romania.
Serbia cut output at its coal-fired power plants due to the lack of water disrupting cooling systems, while Romania carried out a controlled explosion on a large rock on the banks of the Danube to increase waterflow to the Cernavoda nuclear power plant.
Italy's longest river, the Po, hit a historic low near the northern city of Cremona in late July. Authorities raised the drought alert level to "high" across the entire Po Valley, while experts have issued warnings about potential disruption to the drinking water supply.
Lower river flows at the mouth of the Po have also pushed saltwater from the sea into the riverbed, disrupting the ecosystem and causing serious issues for farmers who use water from the Po to irrigate their crops.
A recent study by scientists at the World Weather Attribution group found that there had been no clear long-term trend towards lower rainfall across much of Europe.
But the researchers said that human-caused climate change was increasing evaporation of moisture through higher temperatures, making drought conditions more likely.
The hot, dry weather also increased the demand for water for household, agricultural and industrial use.
Prolonged periods of drought can also affect the water levels of lakes, impacting availability of freshwater resources.
The EU's Copernicus climate service said the 2022 drought in Europe contributed to increased wildfire activity - which in drove higher than average carbon emissions.
Additional reporting by Mark Poynting
Read the full story at BBC ↗
The River Rhine has fallen to record low levels in Cologne and Lobith, lower than any point since records began Other major European rivers including the Danube and Po have recorded record low levels Drought conditions are critical across most of Europe, with worsening conditions in central-western Europe as of mid-July Temperatures are expected to rise above 40°C in many central and southern European countries for at least another week 44% of Rhine measuring stations and 78% of Danube stations recorded extremely low water levels at the end of July The navigable water depth at Kaub near Koblenz reached 25cm, matching the 2018 record low Low water at Kaub can severely restrict inland shipping and potentially increase transport costs Hungary shut down its only nuclear power plant due to insufficient water for cooling Serbia reduced coal-fired power plant output and Romania conducted a controlled explosion to increase water flow for nuclear cooling The Po river reaching historic lows poses serious disruption to drinking water supply Saltwater intrusion into the Po riverbed has disrupted the ecosystem and caused serious issues for farmers Human-caused climate change is increasing evaporation through higher temperatures, making drought conditions more likely There has been no clear long-term trend towards lower rainfall across much of Europe The 2022 European drought contributed to increased wildfire activity and higher than average carbon emissions
Read the full story at BBC ↗
- Major European rivers including the Rhine, Danube, and Po have reached record low water levels due to prolonged drought and heatwaves
- The Rhine's navigable depth at Kaub fell to 25cm, threatening inland shipping capacity and potentially raising transport costs across Europe
- Hungary shut its only nuclear power plant due to Danube water levels hitting 30-year lows; Serbia and Romania also face power supply disruptions
- Climate change is increasing evaporation and making drought conditions more likely, though rainfall trends across Europe show no clear long-term decline
- Water shortages are affecting drinking supplies, crop irrigation, and ecosystems, with saltwater intrusion disrupting the Po river delta