European rivers hit record lows

Prolonged heatwaves and drought across Europe have driven major rivers to record or near-record lows. The Rhine fell to its lowest recorded levels in Germany — Cologne and Netherlands — Lobith, while the Danube hit 30-year lows in several countries and Italy's Po reached historic lows near Italy — Cremona. Germany's Low Water Information System reported extremely low levels at 44% of Rhine stations and 78% of Danube stations. At the Germany — Kaub chokepoint, navigable depth matched the 2018 record low of 25 cm, restricting cargo shipping and raising transport costs. The drought disrupted energy production: Hungary's sole nuclear plant operates at reduced capacity, Serbia cut coal output, Romania blasted a rock to aid the Cernavoda plant, and Renault — Dacia and Ford halted production to conserve electricity. Agriculture and drinking water face threats, especially in the Po Valley, where saltwater intrusion harms irrigation. The EU's Drought Observatories report critical conditions across most of Europe, with heatwaves forecast to continue. Scientists at World Weather Attribution link increased evaporation from climate change to more probable droughts.