European Rivers Reach Record Low Levels Amid Heat and Drought
Severe heat and prolonged drought have driven major European rivers, including the Danube and Rhine, to historic lows, disrupting energy production, shipping and tourism.
Satellite images show major European rivers shrinking dramatically as heat waves and a lack of rainfall dry out the continent. The Danube fell to a record low of four inches in Budapest, far below the previous record of 13 inches set in 2018, prompting concerns for Hungary’s power supply. The Paks nuclear plant, which relies on Danube water for cooling, is operating at about 10% capacity after most reactors were forced offline.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar thanked households and industry for voluntary power reductions during peak hours. In Romania, naval forces used explosives to clear rock and create a temporary dike to divert more water to the Cernavodă nuclear plant.
Low water levels have also impacted tourism, with river cruises cancelled or altered and a cruise ship running aground on a sandbank in Bulgaria. Historical artifacts, including a presumed mammoth remain and a sunken WWII vessel, have been uncovered as riverbeds recede.
The Rhine, flowing from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea, recorded a low of nine inches at Kaub, near Koblenz, surpassing the previous record of 9.3 inches set in 2018. Commercial vessels are reducing cargo loads by up to 80%, raising shipping costs and prompting a shift to rail and road transport. A Lanxess spokesperson said barge shipments are severely restricted and some loading points are no longer reachable.
Other rivers such as Italy’s Po and France’s Loire are also experiencing unusually low flows. Climate scientists warn that continued warming will increase the frequency of such hydrological extremes and stress water-resource management, emphasizing the need for rapid greenhouse-gas reductions and long-term policies.