Severe drought threatens Czech water reserves as reservoir levels drop

Acute drought conditions continue to worsen across the Czech Republic as persistent precipitation deficits deplete river basins and major reservoirs. According to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, rainfall has dropped roughly 34 percent below historical averages, making this one of the driest years since 1961.

Along the Vltava River cascade, the Orlík reservoir has seen rapid declines. Basin management authority Povodí Vltavy stated that if water levels drop an additional 3.5 meters, emergency storage from the Slapy reservoir will be released to maintain minimum downstream flow—a measure expected only once every 50 years.

In response, the Czech government reactivated its national drought coalition and allocated 4 billion korunas (€160 million) toward mitigation measures and reservoir planning. However, environmental experts warn that building new dams cannot resolve shortages without systemic agricultural transformation to retain water across the landscape.

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