Due to persistent heat and prolonged dry conditions, low water levels on the Rhine have reached new record lows at several locations. On Tuesday morning, the gauge at Kaub measured just 24 centimeters, undercutting the previous record low from 2018 by one centimeter, according to gauge readings published by the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes).
In Cologne and Duisburg as well, Rhine water levels on Tuesday morning fell below their previous record lows. In Düsseldorf, the gauge reached the level of its previous 2018 low point.
According to forecasts, Rhine water levels could fall even further in the coming days due to a lack of rainfall. Low water is also affecting other rivers, such as the Danube. According to the Federal Institute of Hydrology (Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde), low-water marks were undercut "unusually early" this year along many stretches of waterway.
Generally speaking, the navigable shipping channel, for example on the Rhine, is always deeper than the water level shown by the gauges, a spokesman for the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration in Bingen explained. The zero point of the scale on the gauges, most of which are decades old and some of which date back to the 18th century, "is not located where the lowest point of the waterway is."
According to the spokesman, the depth of the shipping channel is calculated using other data as well, and on Tuesday it stood at 180 centimeters on the Rhine near Cologne.
Nevertheless, inland vessels can currently carry significantly less cargo due to the low water levels, or must forgo transport altogether. The low gauge readings are therefore driving up transport costs for the economy and placing a particular burden on industries that depend on bulk goods transport.
Besides freight vessels, the exceptionally low water levels on the Rhine are also causing problems for tourism and passenger shipping. Numerous trips have had to be canceled, according to Köln-Düsseldorfer Deutsche Rheinschifffahrt GmbH, and certain landing docks along the Rhine can no longer be approached by some vessels for the time being.
The low water levels are being caused by the prolonged dry spell affecting many regions of Germany. Isolated thunderstorms or severe weather events do not significantly change the overall situation. According to scientific findings, ongoing climate change is increasing the likelihood of such extreme weather conditions. Other rivers besides the Rhine are also affected by low water.
In light of the situation on the Rhine, Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger (CDU) has called a special conference for Thursday in Bonn. Possible measures for managing the situation are to be discussed there.
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