Alarming low water: Elbe stops shipping traffic in the Prignitz!

Alarming low water: Elbe stops shipping traffic in the Prignitz!

In recent days, the Elbe has shown a worrying picture: the water level is continuously falling, which has a significant impact on shipping in the region. The situation is particularly serious in the Prignitz, where the extremely low water levels have a severe impact on shipping traffic. Loud daily news In particular, recreational boats such as canoeists and paddlers can still navigate the river with little draft, while commercial shipping is severely restricted. Ships with heavy loads have to stop their journeys because transporting goods across the Elbe is currently uneconomical.

The ferry between Lütkenwisch and Schnakenburg, which has already stopped operating, is particularly affected. The Wittenberg Elbe water level is showing worrying values: currently at 80 centimeters and with a predicted further drop to up to 55 centimeters by mid-July. These extreme conditions not only lead to economic difficulties, but also have an impact on nature, as the declining groundwater level increasingly threatens wildlife.

Impact in Dresden and the surrounding area

The situation is not only limited to the Prignitz. In Dresden, several ferry connections had to stop operating due to the persistently low water levels. That's what she reports Saxon that the ferry between Tolkewitz and Niederpoyritz will no longer run on Saturday and the car ferry between Kleinzschachwitz and Pillnitz has also been canceled since Monday morning. Only one passenger ferry operates in Kleinzschachwitz and offers a limited solution. The entire public transport system is affected: students who rely on the ferries have to accept longer detours.

The Dresden transport company expects ongoing restrictions until at least the end of this week, which will significantly restrict the mobility of many citizens. Despite the forecast of rain, the Elbe water level is not expected to rise quickly, which makes the situation even more difficult.

Causes and prognosis

As the NDR Reportedly, water levels on the Elbe are exceptionally low, particularly due to dry conditions in spring and the lack of sufficient rainfall in June. In some areas, such as “Route 9” between Dömitz and Hitzacker, shipping is already impossible due to water depths of only 50 centimeters. As a result, recreational boats often get into difficulties and have to be towed off sandbanks.

Fishermen report drying up tributaries and falling oxygen levels in the water, endangering the living conditions for numerous aquatic animals. However, for the Lower Saxony part of the Middle Elbe, there is an all-clear regarding an imminent threat to fish stocks, as the Lower Saxony State Office for Water Management, Coastal and Nature Conservation (NLWKN) reports. Nevertheless, shipping traffic remains difficult in many areas. The combination of climate change, which is increasingly causing droughts and heavy rain events, is further exacerbating the problems.

The current situation is not only a challenge for the shipping industry, but also a wake-up call for everyone who has to deal with the effects of climate change and the sustainability of our water resources. A rethink is now required all the more in order to protect the water level of the Elbe and thus our environment. It remains to be hoped that nature will soon bring a little more water into play again.