Drought Shrinks European Rivers, Revealing Shipwrecks and Forcing Power Plant Cuts

Europe's vital waterways are shrinking to historic lows, threatening transportation, energy production, and revealing long-submerged secrets. The Danube River, Europe's longest, has hit 30-year lows in Romania and Slovakia and all-time lows in Hungary. This dramatic decline is a direct consequence of persistent drought and successive heatwaves.

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In two years, we will be able to simply walk across it.

Shipping traffic is severely impacted. In Bulgaria, nearly 200 passengers had to be evacuated from a cruise ship that ran aground. Cargo ships are forced to sail with reduced loads or wait for higher water levels. Many fishermen have lost their livelihoods as their boats are stranded on exposed riverbeds. The low water also uncovers sandbars that impede navigation.

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I have been a fisherman for 39 years, and there has never been such drought here.

Nuclear power plants relying on river water for cooling are also affected. Hungary has reduced the output of its Paks nuclear plant, while Romania shut down both reactors at Cernavodă. The Rhine and Elbe rivers are also experiencing critically low levels, increasing transportation costs on Germany's key shipping artery.

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Cargo ships are forced to wait or sail with reduced cargo.

The situation is particularly concerning as these record lows are occurring in July, typically much earlier than the usual August or September minimums. Goran Puzović, director of the Srbijavode water management company, warned that "critical conditions" could persist for another 45 to 50 days, potentially worsening with an approaching heatwave.

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We have about 45 to 50 days ahead of us during which we can expect such and perhaps even more critical conditions on the Danube and all other rivers.