Lake Zurich hits 75-year low amid Swiss drought

Lake Zurich's water level fell to its lowest level in 75 years on Wednesday as drought affected several major Swiss lakes, official measurements showed.

Switzerland's Federal Office for the Environment said the country has faced “a marked drought” since spring, with repeated heatwaves and below-average rainfall. It said the drought had worsened in recent weeks, leaving dry soils and low surface and groundwater levels.

The lake, which extends southeast of Zurich, stood at no more than 404.45 metres above sea level on Wednesday. That was below the previous record of 405.46 metres, measured in 1952, a year after measurements began at the station. The annual mean is 405.93 metres, according to the office.

An agency spokesman told AFP that Lake Zurich, Switzerland's sixth-largest lake, was the only Swiss lake so far to hit a record low.

The Zurich Lake Ferry company, which runs the crossing between Horgen and Meilen, told customers this week that unusually low water levels meant restrictions on vehicle loading. Heavy trucks and several other vehicle types were barred from crossings.

The environment office said many lakes had below-average seasonal levels, including Lake Constance and Lake Maggiore. Lake Geneva, Switzerland's biggest lake, remained close to its annual average after receiving river inflows boosted by glacier melt, the office told AFP.