Until recently, Germany was considered a rainy country, Germans sought to go to the sea and sun at least in summer. It cannot be said that there are fewer vacationers this summer, but now they are heading out to sea to cool off some of the heat at home. Record high temperatures and droughts are affecting everyday German life.

Where, until recently, rivers flowed, and the water even overflowed from their banks, today is semi-dry. Many Germans are asking a reasonable question: Will Germany, which used to be so crippled by rains, now face a serious problem of drought caused by climate change?

Severe drought in the east of the country

The central and eastern parts of Germany are particularly affected by the drought. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), this year’s rainfall has been extremely low, especially in the federal states of Brandenburg, Berlin, Saxony and Hesse. Even the Rhine is now less than a meter deep in places because of the drought, and the water level in some cases has dropped by half.

And so far, there are no signs that the water level in the Rhine will rise in the near future. The reason is the lack of rain. In Emmerich, near the Dutch border, a record water level was recorded the other day – just four centimeters. This, according to the Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSV), is seven centimeters lower than the previous low, which was reached in the fall of 2018. According to expert predictions, even a zero level could be reached in the next few days. .

The water level near the town called Kaub in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, which is important for navigation on the Rhine, also dropped earlier this week: from 37 centimeters last Sunday to 32 centimeters earlier this week. “Ships are still sailing, but less than before and with minimal load. Traffic has not yet been completely stopped,” Florian Krekel, a spokesman for the Rhine Shipping and Waterways Authority, told Reuters. Germany’s inland waterways are very important for the import and export of goods. If the water level remains too low, the industry will face serious problems. Due to the fact that the rivers became shallow, many tourist routes and cruises were cancelled.

The water level in the Rhine has reached a record low

The lowering of the water level has an extremely negative impact not only on maritime transport. The less water, the faster it heats up. Environmentalists have already recorded an increase in water temperature, which has an extremely negative impact on river fauna.

Disappointing forecasts due to heat and drought

“The effects of climate change on Germany’s water resources, which are actually water-rich, have become increasingly visible in recent years,” Professor Reimund Schwarze, from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research, told Focus online. and decades, at least at the regional level.”

The expert also warns of a possible shortage of drinking water. In addition, it does not exclude local restrictions on its use – for example, when filling private swimming pools. In addition, most river thermal power plants will have to be stopped.

Due to heat and drought, the risk of forest fires will increase, wild animals will not have enough water. “From a general economic point of view, agriculture will be particularly affected, which will be felt in the form of a rapid increase in food prices”, predicts Professor Schwarze.

Does Germany face a shortage of drinking water?

The drought has already hit agriculture harder. For example, the wheat harvest in the last two years was 15% below the average for the last two years.

dry corn field

This year it rained little since the beginning. In March, for example, only about 20 liters of rain fell per square meter, while between 1961 and 1990 it fell just under 60 liters per square meter. This leads to extreme dryness of the soil, from which almost the entire territory of the country now suffers.

However, according to Professor Schwarze, there is still no reason to panic. Scientists consider it extremely unlikely that the supply of drinking water to Germany’s population could be threatened in the coming years.

Two-thirds of tap water comes from underground water reservoirs. They are not threatened by evaporation as a result of prolonged drought. According to Professor Schwarze, initially there is no single measure that can avoid the growing risk of water shortages in Germany. However, the government must take long-term precautions. “We need a strategy for the coming decades that can change trends in water use in many areas and spheres of life,” said the expert.

The objectives of such a strategy should be to expand water infrastructure, restore water balance close to natural, together with other countries to protect the world’s water resources in the long term. In addition, more intensive protection of the Baltic and North Seas is needed.