On Thursday morning, the water level of the Rhine dropped in Lobith lowest position ever measured. This has various consequences, but we still don’t have to worry about drinking water coming out of the tap. We need to think about how to use our water differently in the future, says Diederik Fleuren of Rijkswaterstaat.
On Thursday the water level at Lobith, near the point where the Rhine enters the Netherlands, was 6.48 meters above Amsterdam Normal Level (NAP). This is more than 2 meters lower than the average water level at this time of year (8.70 meters). However, we shouldn’t focus on the NAP, says Fleuren.
“NAP is important in high water, because ships need to know if they can still pass under bridges. However, during drought we look more at the minimum sound depth (MGD). This way the skippers know if they can safely navigate through. certain waters. If the MGD is low, they risk running aground with their ships. “
What does the NAP measured value mean?
- All water is measured using the Normal Amsterdam Level (NAP).
- A NAP height of 0 is the average North Sea water level.
- NAP elevations are used to protect our country from water. For example, NAP is used to determine if dams are still high enough.
- The highest point in the Netherlands is near Vaals, 322.38 meters above NAP.
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At the moment, ordinary citizens need not worry, for example, whether water will continue to come out of the tap. The so-called shift series determines where fresh water goes first. The supply of drinking water has a top priority in this regard.
“These values are not yet very problematic, but we have to think about how we manage water,” says Fleuren, who warns. “Less water enters, so there is also less to distribute. If things continue like this, it remains to be seen whether we can still do with water in about five years what we are doing with it now.”
On some water boards, people are already being asked to spray less, for example. The Water Shortage Management Team (MTW) announced Thursday. new measures ready for when the drought continues.
The expedition already suffers from low water levels
According to Fleuren, there are no indications that the low level is already causing any major problems. “Shipping suffers more. Ships may have to sail with less cargo, so they are loaded less heavily and therefore lie less deep in the water.”
According to Rijkswaterstaat, transport companies would do well to find alternative means of transport besides ships. One problem with this is that trains and trucks can carry far less than large ships.
Additionally, transportation can lead to increased water congestion. After all, multiple ships are needed to carry the same cargo. Meanwhile, there is less space on the water, because the fairway (where ships can sail safely) is narrower due to the low water level.
In Germany, the water level in some rivers is so low that ships can no longer sail there, but according to Fleuren this will not happen in the Netherlands. And there is “certainly no doubt” that the Rhine can completely dry up here.
Low water level due to heat and drought
The low water level in the Rhine is a result of recent drought and heat. Not only in the Netherlands, but also in Germany and Switzerland. “In spring and summer, the Rhine often benefits from Swiss meltwater, but less snow has fallen there,” explains Fleuren.
“So the Rhine will mainly depend on rain, but there has also been less. Moreover, the water also evaporates faster due to the recent heat. That’s why we have a very low water level in mid-August.”
As temperatures in Europe are now lower again and there is more rain, the water level of the Rhine will rise again in the coming days. “There will be more rain in the coming weeks, including in Switzerland and southern Germany. This determines the Rhine. But it remains difficult to predict, we have to look at it day by day.”
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