Rhine discharge at Lobith likely to hit historic low Tuesday, Rijkswaterstaat says

The Netherlands faces a critical water shortage as Rijkswaterstaat forecasts historically low discharge levels in the Rhine at Lobith. On Tuesday, water flow is expected to drop below 800 cubic meters per second, a level not seen in July since 1976.

This scarcity poses a significant threat, with a "threatening water shortage" already declared at Level 1 by the National Coordination Committee for Water Crises. The low river levels allow seawater to intrude, increasing the risk of salinization. Inland shipping faces restrictions, and authorities are reducing lock operations to conserve freshwater.

The situation stems from extremely low water levels in Switzerland, the Rhine's source region. The snow cover there disappeared much earlier than usual in April and May. Rainfall in the Rhine and Meuse river basins has provided only limited relief, while warm weather exacerbates the problem through increased evaporation. This heightened demand for freshwater from industry, nature, and for general use strains the already limited supply.