Dropping Rhine water levels threaten to disrupt German freight transport

Water levels along major Western European waterways continue to drop amid persistent drought, reaching historic lows at several measuring stations along the Rhine. Hydrological authorities reported record-low levels in Cologne and at Kaub, where water reached its lowest point since 1880.

Forecasters from the Baden-Württemberg Low Water Information Center expect no immediate relief, warning that levels across critical gauge stations—including Düsseldorf, Duisburg-Ruhrort, and Emmerich—will fall further in the coming days.

The severe dry spell poses a growing threat to commercial navigation. The Federal Association of German Inland Navigation warned that bottlenecks along the middle section of the Rhine could soon prevent continuous shipping, effectively dividing Germany's main inland waterway into two separate routes.

Sources: DW, FAZ, Der Spiegel, Der Standard, Tagesschau