Water levels in eastern Switzerland fall to record low

Water levels in the lakes of Eastern Switzerland have fallen to a record low Keystone-SDA

Water levels in lakes across eastern Switzerland have fallen to a record low. Lakes Untersee and Zurich have never recorded lower water levels.

The drought, which has persisted for months, is particularly evident on the Untersee, the western part of Lake Constance.

Boats have been aground in many places throughout the summer. There has clearly been a shortage of water in the harbour at Mannenbach-Salenstein since June.

On Wednesday, the water level in the Untersee fell four centimetres below the lowest level ever recorded, which was on January 14, 1949. Water levels have been measured at this point since 1885.

Water bodies in canton Thurgau are generally at historically low levels and in some cases, they have dried up completely. According to forecasts, the situation is set to worsen further in the coming weeks.

Extreme drought

The water level of Lake Walen currently stands at 418.18 metres above sea level. The measuring station there has never recorded a lower reading in the month of September. However, this water level is not an all-time record.

According to federal hydrological data, the water level of Lake Walen was 26 centimetres lower on 14 February 1949.

Due to the prolonged low water level, very little water is flowing from Lake Walen into the Linth, the main tributary of Lake Zurich.

Lake Constance, too, is mainly lacking water from its most important tributary. Although this international body of water has around 200 tributaries, it is particularly dependent on the Rhine.

Accounting for around 62% of its water supply, the river is by far the most important source. However, according to data from the Federal Office for the Environment, the area between Chur and the Rhine’s confluence with Lake Constance is one of the regions experiencing extreme drought this year.

The drought this year is worse than in 2003 and 2018, according to canton St Gallen’s website. This has been caused by a second consecutive winter with little snow and intense summer heatwaves.

As no significant rainfall is expected until the end of September, this is likely to be the sixth consecutive month with below-average rainfall.

In the summer two years ago, the situation was quite different, particularly on the Untersee. Following days of rainfall, the highest flood alert level was in force around Lake Constance in June 2024.

In various towns on the Untersee, lakeside promenades, car parks and garden restaurants were submerged. Attempts were made to hold back the lake water using mobile dyke systems – hoses filled with water.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.