Danube water levels 2020 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[notamermaid]

For the record: Pfelling gauge has dropped to 250cm.

 

On 16 July the building works along the Bavarian Danube started. There will be alterations to embankments and the navigation channel will be deepened (I mentioned the plans earlier this year). This is the report by the regional news channel in German: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/sanfter-donauausbau-in-niederbayern-das-projektziel,S4jRhSz

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

We had quite a share of rain today and according to the weather guys this might last on for the next two days. So that might fill up the Danube river a little bit...

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

Sounds promising, steamboats. Water desperately needed on land as well. I expect dry conditions will have reached the Middle Danube (Austria, etc.) by now as well.

 

In this heat I am sure people are flocking to the Isar. I just hope the English Garden with you in Munich is not as crowded as the beaches along the South coast of England. I prefer my back garden - sun, gravel, dry grass, bumble bees and adorable cats - bliss.

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

14 hours ago, notamermaid said:

In this heat I am sure people are flocking to the Isar. I just hope the English Garden with you in Munich is not as crowded as the beaches along the South coast of England. I prefer my back garden - sun, gravel, dry grass, bumble bees and adorable cats - bliss.

 

The only time I see the English Garden is in the morning and in in late afternoon - when I pass through in the public bus. I prefer my own tiny garden too including my cat 😉

 

steamboats

[steamboats]

O.k., please stop it! We had enough rain... First thing I heard on the radio this morning that the Autobahn near lake Chiemsee is flooded 6 feet high and closed in both directions.

 

Our local river in Munich, the Isar river, just crested shortly under the level 3 warning stage.

 

Lots of floodings especially in the Chiemsee region. Just saw some "nice" pictures in the TV news.

 

Passau is near level 2 and should crest below 4 tomorrow (which is 8.50 m).

 

I think the weather guys said we had the amount of rain within the last 24 hours we usually have in the whole month of August.

 

So praying for all in the affected areas! Fortunately I´m sitting high and dry.

 

steamboats

 

 

[notamermaid]

I have just heard. It is bad. I saw on the weather forecast day before yesterday that there would be downpours but what has come down is certainly more than I could ever anticipate.

This is the graph:

 

Hope all goes well, the next two days look critical.

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

This morning they said in the news that Passau will crest shortly below the 8.50 m mark. It gets pretty uncomfortable in Passau when hitting the 9 m. But all car owners are already called to move their cars from the historic downtown area near the rivers (Passau has 3 - Ilz and Iller are merging with the Danube which causes even a bigger problem).

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

The three rivers are indeed an added problem. Koblenz on the Rhine has that problem in flooding with the two rivers and the waves of flooding on both rivers often coming at the same or at least similar times. Quite striking was the difference in weather patterns a few days ago. All the downpours were in the far South of the country and mostly the East. In effect, the Rhine has stayed a pleasant river with little rise in level.

 

Consolation for Bavaria is that the rain will not return this week and the situation should ease quickly on the Danube in a couple of days. Austria will need a bit longer and there appears to be a bit more rain coming in the next few days, but reports say the situation in Linz is not too bad.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The level at Pfelling has fallen quickly to now 314cm. Soon some rain will be needed to keep the river at a decent level. But for now things look okay. On land things are not running quite so smoothly with cases having risen in Austria (as elsewhere). No return to normal in the foreseeable future and hit hard by it all is the cultural sector. Among many other events, the Salzburg Festival could not happen how it would in normal years. Much effort has gone into making it as safe as possible - it is the 100 year anniversary. But the origin of the festival shows an even bigger effort to make the dream of three gentlemen come true: https://m.dw.com/en/how-the-salzburg-festival-came-to-salzburg-100-years-ago/a-50229580 

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling was on the way down and had fallen just below 300cm, but yesterday's rain is showing an effect and the level is now back at 300cm with a rise forecast.

 

German and European operators are sailing again, albeit with overall fewer ships. But more than half of all river cruisers in Europe in 2019 came from Northern America. They and many others from the English-speaking world are still not back on the rivers. It is felt in all the towns along the rivers to a varying degree. Bamberg is one of them (German article): https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/fehlende-flusskreuzfahrten-tourismus-in-bamberg-leidet,S48qOyr

 

Interesting statistics in the article: only two percent of all tourists in Bamberg are river cruisers, but every passenger spends almost 30 euros in town. On a ship that carries 150 passengers that is almost 4,500 euros. From another page: In 2017, 804 dockings of river cruise ships took place in Bamberg.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

Well, that rise at Pfelling was negligible and short-lived. 285cm is the level right now.

 

Let us head over to the Isar again. Deutsche Welle is travelling round the country virtually, from A to Z and has reached M as in Munich. Here is a picture gallery: https://m.dw.com/en/germany-a-to-z-munich/g-54595679

 

Talking of galleries: if you are into medieval paintings, go and visit the Alte Pinakothek - simply stunning.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by notamermaid
Grammar

[notamermaid]

Next in the picture gallery is N - Nürnberg, or Nuremberg in English. The city on the Danube in Bavaria ..- STOP! It is not on the Danube. Main? - No. Eh, Main Danube Canal? No. So how on earth do the river cruise ships get there? They do not and use the bypass which is indeed the Main Danube Canal. The city centre is on the Pegnitz river, at the downstream end of Nuremberg it meets the Rednitz river at Fürth and together they form the Regnitz river. But the Main Danube Canal also uses the Regnitz both as river-cum-canal and using some of the river's water. Theoretically, Nuremberg is not even in Bavaria, but in Franconia, but the Franconians have no separate state, so they have to battle it out with the "proper" Bavarians under their administration. And me as a Rhinelander am the smiling bystander. After this brutal geography lesson - do not worry, this will not come in next week's test - here is the picture gallery: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-from-a-to-z-nuremberg/g-53277203

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge has gone well down again, now at 256cm. The lowest level in modern times, by the way, was recorded on 23 August 2018 with 228cm. Rain from Friday and into next week should help.

 

While in Europe we are allowed to travel to many regions and countries, travel for tourism is still restricted or restricted again. It has affected everyone in the tourism industry and hospitality sector to varying degrees. Here is a report from Bratislava: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53833866

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

Hungary is closing their borders by tomorrow. A-Rosa has started a cruise yesterday which will have Bratislava as the most "Southern" point. So Danube river cruises are now cut short by the stop in Budapest.

 

Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria were off limits for quite a while due to the high infection numbers. So cruises down to the Danube delta had to be stopped about a month ago.

 

steamboats

Edited August 31, 2020 by steamboats

[notamermaid]

Thanks for the info, steamboats. Here are some reactions and the re-routing that is happening (in German): https://abouttravel.ch/reisebranche/cruise/ungarn-schliesst-aber-donau-flussfahrten-werden-nicht-ausgesetzt/

 

Interesting to note: as of now, it is still possible for river cruise ships to cross the border into Hungary, but nobody is allowed to step onto land. So one company is sailing to Budapest just to see it and do the illuminations cruise in the evening.

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

The nickoVision left Passau yesterday and they are just passing through Hungary and don´t have any stops there as well as Serbia. They also skip the stop in Bucarest. But Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria are still accessible (for Germans). On the way back they won´t be able to stop in Austria.

 

MS Alena of Phoenix is doing a sightseeing cruise of Budapest. A-Rosa stays in Vienna overnight and stops in Bratislava prior to returning to Engelhartszell. In early August A-Rosa did not go down to the delta area. A-Rosa did answer that they still try to get an excemption for a stop in Budapest or a pass by cruise. They say the closure is for 4 weeks now and think they can return by Oct 1st latest.

 

steamboats

[Daisi]

It's nice to see that some tours are being able to run.  It must also be interesting for the CD's and orginaisers who have to work around all the regluations of where and when they can stop.  

 

Curious though...any reports of Covid hitting the cruises?  I'm hoping not, but the big ships didn't fare well, so just wondering.  Fingers crossed that they are a success and able to continue.

[steamboats]

11 hours ago, Daisi said:

Curious though...any reports of Covid hitting the cruises? 

 

No reports... fortunately!

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

As the saying goes "no news is good news". @steamboats you are of course much closer to the industry than me. So if you have not heard or read anything that is really good. On the Rhine there has only been good news as what has been accomplished as regards the restart of river cruises, as far as I know.

 

By the way, the association IG River Cruise published, I think two weeks ago now, a report saying that they are pleased with river cruises running so far. They said by then only two crew members had tested positive (must have been during the checks prior to a cruise starting) and no issues with passengers getting ill or anything.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

With tourists absent (again) from Budapest the city has room to breathe and re-think tourism. Yes, following in the footsteps of Amsterdam, Prague and Hallstatt (and I assume Mallorca) they are looking at more quality than quantity. Out with the partying, in with... well, what? https://www.dw.com/en/budapest-moves-to-make-party-tourism-a-thing-of-the-past/a-54307202

 

By the way, the Czech Republic and with it Prague in particular has become a country "of concern" for the WHO as regards the latest Coronavirus developments. Following the rise in cases, new rules for mask-wearing will come into force tomorrow.

 

notamermaid

 

P.S.: Pfelling gauge scraped the 290cm mark yesterday and has gone up since. Figure this evening: 312cm.

Edited September 9, 2020 by notamermaid
PS added

[notamermaid]

The level at Pfelling has gone down again to now 262cm.

 

Austria has seen a rise in cases, so new restrictions have been introduced: https://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUKKBN2621AG

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The Danube in Bavaria is struggling to keep the river cruise ships afloat, with Pfelling at 257cm. The Czech Republic is struggling to contain the rising cases of Covid-19 especially in Prague*. Before the pandemic Prague was struggling to keep order at night due to party tourism and the locals were struggling to feel at home in their city. Prague has become a capital (like a few other European cities) for cheap flight and hard partying, especially as a stag night event. The British are particularly fond of that. Not surprising then that at the only British wedding I have so far attended a laughter highlight was the tales of Prague stag night in the best man's speech (urrgh!).

 

Now more than ever is the chance for the city to do something about their reputation and the locals' happiness: https://www.dw.com/en/overtourism-in-prague-ideas-for-post-coronavirus-times/a-54937352

 

*For the newcomers to the Danube: Prague is a favourite fly into city and/or extension for river cruise trips for the Anglo-American market.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

I forgot to mention that Prague is on the German risk list of countries (and parts thereof) by the authorities, meaning upon entering Germany taking a test as soon as possible is required (or quarantine for 14 days).

 

Austria has seen a fast rise in cases in Vienna so expects to be put onto the list, an announcement for Vienna by the German authorities is expected for later today. If one is on a river cruise in Vienna right now, tough luck. You would not be able to get back in time to avoid test and self-isolation. The incidence figure in Vienna is 117. ORF television report: https://orf.at/stories/3181556/

 

Hope Vienna improves soon.

 

Honestly, we are just redistributing covid-19 around our countries in Europe... By the way, Bavaria in Germany is still the worst affected state, but the incidence is nevertheless still under 20, which is good compared to other places in Europe. Major contributions to the figure have come supposedly from a lady in Garmisch-Partenkirchen returning from Greece and an end of school celebration trip to Prague among others. Basically often from countries that have seen a rise and where put under vigilance by the German authorities (and then sometimes declared risk zones). Makes you understand why Britain has become so strict with their incidence figure of 20. I wonder if they would put Bavaria on the quarantine list on its own or declare the whole of Germany a risk zone? That would make a bit annoyed, the North and West of Germany are doing quite well.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

Update: German authorities declare Vienna a risk zone. Added also among others: Budapest, parts of the Netherlands, in Switzerland added: Kanton Fribourg. And Hauts-de-France which includes Pas-de-Calais. Such a pity, love the North coast of France.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Munich today: "O'zapft is" - Sort of.

 

While traditional Oktoberfest is not happening, Munich is nevertheless far from quiet. Deutsche Welle explains: https://www.dw.com/en/munich-may-be-without-oktoberfest-but-its-still-a-lot-of-fun/a-54950543

 

notamermaid