Swiss river and lake levels remain low despite rain

Lake Constance (in picture) and Lake Zug are particularly affected. Keystone-SDA

Switzerland is facing drought conditions, with water levels in many rivers and lakes unusually low for this time of year, despite some temporary relief from this week’s rain. Lake Constance and Lake Zug are particularly affected.

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Despite recent rain, many watercourses in the central Plateau region are low for this time of year, measurements by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) show. The levels of the High Rhine, the Reuss and the Limmat rivers are still below the usual values for this time of year.

Meanwhile, the levels of Lake Constance and Lake Zug are at a “very low level”, a FOEN hydrologist told the Keystone-SDA news agency. This can be attributed to the drought of recent months and above-average temperatures which increased evaporation.

Fluctuations between high and low water

At the beginning of June, the water level in the western part of Lake Constance fell to a historic low, with consequences for shipping. Since the end of April, the section of the Rhine between Stein am Rhein and Diessenhofen has been impassable. On Lake Zug and Lake Aegeri, on the other hand, shipping operations have been running smoothly despite low water levels.

Extreme weather conditions have a strong impact on unregulated waters such as Lake Constance or Lake Walen. On Lake Constance and the High Rhine, strong fluctuations between high and low water have increased in recent years, explained Remo Rey, managing director of the Swiss Shipping Company Untersee und Rhein.

A flood warning of the highest danger level was issued for Untersee in June 2024. Just ten months later, the water level reached an all-time low. Reliable predictions are difficult to make, said Rey. That is why the company is now looking for solutions to ensure ships can travel when the water level is low.

Water levels will fall again

With the exception of Lake Constance and Lake Walen, most Swiss lakes are regulated. This means that high and low water levels can be adapted to the needs of nature, shipping and energy production.

Recent rainfall has led to an increase in discharge volumes and lake levels in affected regions, FOEN said. However, the latest forecasts indicate that the water levels will fall again in the coming weeks, which should accentuate the low water situation again.

Translated from German with AI/sb

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