Rhine alarm: Shipping fights against dramatically falling water levels!

Rhine alarm: Shipping fights against dramatically falling water levels!

The continued drought ensures falling water levels on the Rhine, and this has a direct impact on shipping. As the Stern.de website reports, no fully loaded ships are currently on the road. According to a spokesman for the Rhein waterway and shipping office in Bingen, the ships only run with a reduced cargo, as the water levels continue to fall as long as the rain fails to fail. Visible stones are already protruding from the water, which further tightens the situation of shipping.

Although there are currently no official restrictions on shipping, the situation is assessed as worrying. Augsburger-allgemeine.de states that a complete decommissioning of the shipping is still a while, but it can be expected that cabin ships will be affected first. The forecast assumes that the water levels will continue to fall as long as the longed -for rain fails.

climate change and its consequences

The high water temperature in the Rhine, which is currently about 26 degrees Celsius on the level of Kaub, is less crucial than the oxygen content in the water. This has significant consequences for the flora and fauna of the river. As the federal government has determined, the risk of the oxygen content also increases with higher temperatures. This is a serious threat to plants and animals in the Rhine.

But the challenges in front of which the water ecosystem is facing do not end in the water level. In the future, we will also have to deal with the effects of heavy rainfall, which are still exacerbated by the sealing of areas in urban areas. The compaction of the construction methods, such as asphalt and concrete, prevents rainwater from inserting into the ground. Instead, it quickly flows into mixed sewers, which are often overloaded and lead to overflowing, in which dirty water gets into the water. This can not only affect water quality, but also endanger the health of the residents.

What are the possible solutions?

In order to better master these challenges, more green areas in the cities are necessary. These could not only help to absorb and delay the water in the event of heavy rain events, but also contribute to the cooling of the hot city centers. There is clearly a need for action! The situation on the Rhine shows once again how important a sustainable handling of our water resources is.

The current situation is worrying and requires quick action from politics and society. It is the right time to think about solutions that can benefit both shipping and the habitat of water. Time is urged, because what happens to the Rhine could soon shape everyday life in urban areas.