The drought is the water levels on the Rhine will decrease: At the level Kaub in the Rhein-Lahn-Kreis, for example, the Rhine is currently around 40 per cent less water than usual for the season, said Hydrologist, Jörg Uwe Belz of the Bundesanstalt für gewässerkunde in Koblenz, the German press Agency. This is not the low water, but the situation is tense, “a little.” And it was clear: “The Situation is worse than last year at this time.”
Claudia Thoma of the Directorate-General for waterways and shipping, said: “for shipping, the most important of the Rhine level, the level Kaub. It determines the loaded draught of the vessels on the middle Rhine.“ Here, the level was in value on Tuesday morning, at 108 inches. Most of the ships would have to travel, therefore with less charge. Until Friday morning, the water will Kaub expected to fall still further at the level of about 97 centimeters. As of Friday afternoon, he should rise according to the forecast, then again a few inches. The lowest known water level at the gauge Kaub was 25 centimeters – in the particularly dry year of 2018, at the time, however, only in October.
In the second half of the week rainfall are predicted, which would bring some relief, said Belz. “But it will not be a particularly strong recovery.” Because the “buffer capacity of the system, drought, endure, is now strained already strong.” If then another dry period sequence, the threat of low water.
The reserves in the water cycle – from the groundwater via surface water to the snow cover in the Alps were in the below average range. Normally, the Rhine will be fed at this time of year with melting water. “This year, it is unfortunately so that the snow reserves will also be below average. No longer can intercept a drought, such as we have in the last few weeks, permanently,“ said Belz.
In retrospect, was the year 2019, the nationwide a far less extreme low water year, as of 2018, said the expert of the Federal Institute of hydrology. Low water had caused to 2018 of nature and the economy on the Rhine massive problems. Cargo ships could only be loaded to two-thirds or less.
dpa
