Record low water levels on three Rhine stretches in Germany

New record low water levels have been recorded on three stretches of the Rhine in Germany. At noon Sunday, the water level in Ruhrort, a district of Duisburg, stood at 149 centimeters — two centimeters below the previous minimum set on Aug. 17, 2022. Düsseldorf’s water level was 21 centimeters, also two centimeters below its prior record, while Cologne reached an all-time low on Saturday.

German newspaper Bild attributes the drop to persistent drought and months without meaningful rain. The shrinking river is hurting inland shipping and, therefore, Germany’s economy. Reuters has reported that vessels moving cargo on the Rhine now often load only 20% of their capacity. An economist at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy has warned that low water could cut German GDP by 0.1–0.2% in the third quarter.

The Rhine developments come during one of Europe’s most intense heatwaves in recent years, with Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece hardest hit. At the end of June, French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard said the extreme heat had already caused enormous damage to French agriculture.