Czechia faces severe drought as riverbeds dry and reservoir reserves dwindle

Czechia continues to grapple with severe hydrological drought, with precipitation levels down roughly 34 percent compared to standard averages, making this year among the driest recorded since 1961. Dwindling groundwater and surface water have left numerous streams dry, prompting local rescue efforts to relocate fish and protected river fauna to surviving pools.

Along the Vltava cascade, water management authorities confirmed that if water levels at the Orlík reservoir decline by an additional 3.5 metres, emergency discharges from the Slapy reservoir will be triggered—a measure statistically projected only once every 50 years. Meanwhile, experts warn of long-term desertification risks in southern Moravia and the Elbe lowlands, urging comprehensive landscape water retention strategies as public concern over extreme temperatures and climate preparedness grows.

Sources: Český rozhlas Plus, Deník N, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Seznam Zprávy.