Drought

The Danube’s water level near Budapest is at a record low: on Tuesday morning, the water gauge read 31 centimeters, the General Directorate of Water Management (OVF)’s reported.Based on the data, the lowest water level recorded on the river was 33 centimeters.The Central Danube Valley Water Directorate posted on its Facebook page this morning that critically low water levels have developed across many of Europe’s rivers, and on some rivers, navigation and freight transport are no longer possible.They added:
At 3 a.m. on Tuesday, the water gauge at Vigadó Square in Budapest read 32 centimeters, breaking the record for the lowest water level ever measured in Budapest.Until now, the record had been the 33-centimeter low measured on October 25, 2018. However, the water level continued to drop, reaching just 31 centimeters by 8 a.m.Reports also noted that the lowest recorded water levels were broken at several of the authority’s Danube gauges: at 8 a.m., the water level fell 2 centimeters below the previous record at Vác, 10 centimeters lower at the Kvassay Lock in Budapest, 4 centimeters lower at the Tassi Lock in Tass, and 5 centimeters lower at Dunaújváros. At Nagymaros, the water level is still 2 centimeters higher than the previous low, and at Ercsi, it is 4 centimeters higher, but these record lows are also expected to be broken.On the Ipoly River, the water level is not yet close to the lowest level recorded to date.The water level on the Zagyva is significantly influenced by the volume of water released from the reservoirs; for now, the water level is above the lowest level ever recorded everywhere, but the water reserves stored in the reservoirs are running dangerously low.
On July 16, they had already reported that the Mátraverebély Reservoir had run dry, and by Tuesday morning, the Tarján Creek Reservoir contained only 85,000 cubic meters of water, meaning releases from the reservoir will soon have to stop. The primary task for the Maconkai Reservoir remains ensuring drinking water for 15,000 people, thus the water supply from this reservoir will not be used for other purposes.Forecasts show little or no significant rainfall in the coming weeks; instead, another warming trend is expected, which will increase evaporation. The authorities continue to use the tools at their disposal to mitigate the harmful effects of the water shortage, but without precipitation, available water supplies are steadily declining. Meanwhile, the 58th Blue Ribbon sailing race, which begins on Thursday, is expected to take place in light winds and extreme heat, with slower race conditions anticipated. Peak temperatures of 36–38 degrees Celsius and water temperatures of 25–27 degrees are forecast for the Lake Balaton region.Based on HungaroMet’s forecast, the Chief Medical Officer has issued a Level 3 heat alert for the entire country, effective from midnight on Thursday until midnight next Tuesday. Authorities warn that the prolonged heat wave poses a serious health risk, particularly to the elderly, children, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses. The public is urged to stay hydrated, avoid the heat during the midday hours, and refrain from lighting outdoor fires, and authorities emphasize that it is prohibited to leave children or pets in parked cars.