Rhine River hit by drought in Germany, “We have 30 centimeters of water remaining”

• Although several ferries in and around the town of Kaub have been rendered inoperable, he is still ferrying passengers and their vehicles to the other bank for the time being.
• The present level is still above the lowest value ever seen here, which occurred in October of 2018.
• The Upper Rhine will probably be entirely closed off to traffic, according to Martina Becker of HGK shipping.

Captain Andre Kimpel looks across the Rhine, where water levels have decreased dramatically over the past few days, with an experienced but uneasy eye.

Although several ferries in and around the town of Kaub have been rendered inoperable, he is still ferrying passengers and their vehicles to the other bank for the time being.

As he moves through the water, which gleams in the summertime light, he declares, “It’s no joke. “Our boat is 1.20 metres deep and we have 1.5 metres [5 feet] of water. So there is still 30 centimeters of water underneath us.”

Water levels dropping here are common, but, according to Captain Kimpel, it’s becoming more regular. “Floods used to occur often here. There are many low waters right now.”

An historic measurement station is adjacent on the riverbed. The official water level published here will be used by any skipper attempting to enter the Upper Rhine.

The present level is still above the lowest value ever seen here, which occurred in October of 2018. 25 cm then made up the measurement (the measurement is taken from the same reference point in the water, not the deepest point on the river bed).

Large sections of the riverbed are exposed near the town of Bingen, where bleached stones powder-dry in the hot heat. Locals from the adjacent town scramble over the rocks and take pictures. Normally, they would be submerged in water. One individual claimed to have never seen it this way.

A small number of commercial ships slowly travel the remaining waterway.

The Rhine is one of Europe’s major working rivers, and industry here depends on barges to transport completed goods and raw materials to the industries and power plants that line the riverbank.

Some of the larger vessels can’t fit through since the water is already too low. Others have been compelled to lessen their cargo in order to float higher in the water. They are also closely monitoring the river levels.

The Upper Rhine will probably be entirely closed off to traffic, according to Martina Becker of HGK shipping. She tells us that although low water occurs every year, it rarely reaches this level.

“It’s fairly remarkable, especially considering the time of year. Typically, July and August are very rainy months with high water levels.”

According to her, low water typically occurs in October.

“Since this is rare for us, the concern is what will transpire in October when the traditionally dry months start. We’re already getting close to the record-low level we had in 2018. Next week, we might achieve that level.”

The low water level, according to experts, could seriously harm Germany’s economy.

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