A severe drought has left water levels on the Rhine River at record lows, with serious consequences for shipping. In many places, cargo ships can now only operate with significantly reduced loads.
Image: Jochen Tack/IMAGO
Extremely low water levels on the Rhine River have disrupted inland waterway shipping in Germany. The lower the water levels drop on the key economic artery, the less cargo the freighters can carry. To avoid running aground, they have to travel with lighter loads. As a result, more trips are needed to transport the same amount of cargo.
Image: Thomas Frey/dpa/picture alliance
Near Bonn, the water level is just 74 centimeters (29 inches) in places, and the branch of the Rhine between Bornheim-Hersel and the Herseler Werth nature reserve has largely dried up. Boats and docks lie on the exposed riverbed.
Image: Marc John/IMAGO
In the town of Kaub, between Koblenz and Frankfurt, the water level reached 19 centimeters for the first time on August 5 — briefly even dropping to 18 cm. This has exacerbated an already difficult situation for the inland waterway shipping industry, which has been suffering from low water levels for weeks.
Image: 5VISION.NEWS/IMAGO
The water level at Kaub is the most important benchmark for navigation on the Rhine. There, the river flows through a narrow, rocky bottleneck. If the level continues to drop here, large cargo ships would no longer be able to pass through the channel, effectively interrupting shipping traffic between the upper and lower Rhine.
Image: Michael Probst/AP Photo/picture alliance
Parts of the riverbed are now exposed for the first time, attracting curious people in search of treasure. Mostly, though, they just find trash. The RhineCleanUp initiative is taking the opportunity to clear waste from areas that are usually inaccessible.
Image: Oliver Berg/dpa/picture alliance
Near Bingen, the low water level has exposed a stone embankment that is usually submerged. Visitors can now walk across it to reach the area near the Mäuseturm.
Image: Michael Probst/AP Photo/picture alliance
Due to low water levels, some ferries are also unable to transport cars and pedestrians across the Rhine. This has resulted in congested roads and long traffic jams; those who can are working from home. The situation is particularly tense in Bonn, where the demolition and reconstruction of a major Rhine bridge is causing additional strain.
Image: Oliver Berg/dpa/picture alliance7 images1 | 77 imageshttps://p.dw.com/p/5IgEK
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