Rhine at record low in Netherlands as drought worsens

The Rhine has fallen to its lowest recorded level at Lobith, where it enters the Netherlands, and is expected to drop further because of drought, Dutch officials said Thursday.

“The drought in the Netherlands continues to worsen,” the Dutch infrastructure and water management ministry said. It said the Rhine had never been this low at the Lobith measuring station and that the Meuse was bringing little fresh water into the country because of a lack of rain abroad.

Rijkswaterstaat, the national water management agency, said it expected the Rhine's water level to fall further over the coming days.

The Netherlands has had an officially recognised water shortage since July 16, the ministry said. Restrictions on water use have been imposed across most of the country, particularly affecting agriculture. Vessels are also having to wait longer at some locks because their use has been restricted to prevent river water flowing directly into the sea.

The Rhine is one of the world's major commercial transport routes. It rises in the Swiss Alps, flows through four other countries before reaching the Netherlands and empties into the North Sea. Nine European countries depend on it for drinking water, freshwater, hydropower or shipping.

Countries across Europe are facing drought, with parched rivers, water restrictions and wildfires after a historic heatwave in June. The World Weather Attribution group of scientists said in a July 23 study that today's hotter climate has accelerated moisture loss from Europe's soils, lakes and rivers, increasing the likelihood of very dry conditions.