Water levels on some of Germany’s most important waterways have never been as low as they are at present. On top of that, the current negative records, such as those on the Rhine, were reached quite early on. High summer is only just beginning.
Enormous economic consequences
The restrictions on shipping are already considerable, and the economic impact is enormous. Although this is rarely acknowledged, the waterway network is, in terms of infrastructure, virtually irreplaceable for freight transport. In response, Federal Transport Minister Bilger (CDU) convened a crisis meeting with representatives of the transport and port industries in Bonn yesterday.
A concise overview with NIWIS
The situation is now also clearly visible at a glance thanks to the new official NIWIS Low Water Information System. The Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) collates up-to-date measurement data from more than 300 water bodies in Germany on its website and displays their status using a colour-coded system.
Long-term measurements as a basis
In addition, pie charts summarise the situation for the major rivers such as the Rhine, the Elbe and the Danube, and show what percentage of the river’s course is affected by low water levels and in what way. Trends over the last seven days can also be viewed.
The presentation is based on measurements taken over many years and a defined reference period. Threshold values have been derived from this data, which serve as the basis for classifying the current values.
Christian Tiedt
Editor Travel
