Danube water levels 2022 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[notamermaid]

It is the beginning of July, so it is time for a recap of what happened at Pfelling gauge:

 

In June the river experienced a few days of proper low water as regards river cruising is concerned, but not officially statistically. That is at the line MNW. We have talked about the 290cm mark in the last two weeks and those days when the level fell below that turned into problem days for the 135m ships. The river has been up and down since then, reacting to major rainfall and then falling back, with the last dip again close to 290cm (the one vada_9 referred to in post #98). After good amounts of rain Pfelling again made it to a good level. Now we see the gauge on the downward trend and if not backed up by rain soon may well see a return to a level below 300cm. Forecast suggests this could happen tomorrow afternoon. I will try and have a look again at this tomorrow lunchtime.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The level at Pfelling has indeed fallen, to now 298cm. Question is whether that level can be sustained. There is no strong downward trend now. A "slow decline" is probable though, meaning the forecast suggests the level may go down to 286cm tomorrow.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

The forecast was brutally right and the expected happened. Pfelling gauge dropped down to 286cm already early in the morning with a further decline to 280cm by lunchtime.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

We’re having problems with water levels on our canals so I’m not surprised what’s happening in parts of Europe and that’s rivers, I never thought I’d say it but please rain, but maybe overnight!

[notamermaid]

12 minutes ago, Canal archive said:

We’re having problems with water levels on our canals

Not good. And you are right about Europe, the Po river in Italy is officially experiencing a drought, news says.

 

Snapshot at Pfelling 5pm says 276cm, literally inching closer to official statistical low water level. Bavaria experiencing the highest temperatures in Germany today. Rain along the Danube forecast for Thursday.

 

notamermaid

 

[blag]

6 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

the Po river in Italy is officially experiencing a drought

Lowest levels on the Po for seventy years, and when we drove over it yesterday (on our way to Milan Malpensa airport for flights to our lower Danube cruise!) it was a sorry thing indeed. A far cry from 'the mighty Po'!

Fountains in Milan all turned off and drinking water rationing in Verona.

[notamermaid]

2 minutes ago, blag said:

it was a sorry thing indeed. A far cry from 'the mighty Po'!

Sorry to read that. In 2018 I really felt it when I stood at the Rhine in disbelief, thinking "where has it gone", close to tears.

 

Hope your river cruise on the lower Danube will not be affected, news does not reach me that much here as you know, about anything beyond Budapest really, so do not know details.

 

Whatever happens, have a great time in Budapest, a fantastically interesting city.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

Yesterday's rain which I did not mention as it did not look substantial to me on the weather map has turned out to be enough to push the level at Pfelling to over 300cm. Just in case there may be an error in the gauge computer reading I checked the other stations. It is correct, they have all risen accordingly since last night. Really nice. A roller coaster depending on rain and no rain...

 

So for now all good. Pfelling is at 310cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[JPR]

We had a nice downpour today at Vienna.

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge stands at 307cm, i.e. is back on the downward trend but the rain promised for today has arrived in Bavaria and the temperatures have gone down quite a lot. What this does to the Danube in Bavaria when it has received the water from the upper reaches and the tributaries we will need to see this evening.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

No real impact, it seems, on the river levels so far. Pfelling stands at 306cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge dropped below 300cm early this morning.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

There clearly was not enough rain to have a real impact in the shallow section of the river. Data from further upstream does not look promising. Pfelling is now fluctuating around the 290cm mark.

 

Annoyingly, it looks as if there will be rain in Southern Bavaria away from where it matters in the Danube valley and it will rain around Salzburg this weekend, says the forecast. That at least is good for Austria.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge fluctuating at a slightly lower level than yesterday. Current figure is 288cm.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge has been steadily below 290cm since late last night and is currently at 280cm. We know from the entries in @StartrainDD's highly recommended live blog that this is too low for ease of sailing for Viking's 135m ships. It will be now or soon be similar for other ships of that length - that is if the level falls further in the shallow stretch between Straubing and Vilshofen. After today's low temperatures and potential rain (not much) in the Danube valley tomorrow, it is forecast to get hot next week. No further rain for a few days.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge is definitely on the way down (daily fluctuation aside). Falling below 280cm in the early hours of this morning and staying below that figure since then.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

So what can we expect at Pfelling? The tentative forecast for tomorrow shows 266cm as a likely figure, which is official mean low water.

 

Although the level is already low for some river cruise ships, statistically this is not visible yet on the map. Clicking on Pfelling gauge, right now you get this screenshot (enlarged by me):

 

Still on green, which can be deceiving when just looking at the map, but the level on the bar is close to the orange colour when you click on the Pfelling gauge dot to make the info pop up, which I have done here.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Not got news from the map (the one above). Let us do the pop-up version once more:

 

For some software reason, the graphics do not show the bar properly, but the orange dot is plain to see. And the level has fallen below what the forecast had suggested. The figures given are "raw data", but even if those figures are adjusted upwards by the authorities, I think it it obvious there is not enough water coming from further upstream. The new forecast suggests now for tomorrow 248cm.

 

I do not recall when the problems in the abysmal year of 2018 started. By August we were definitely talking about ship swaps. I will try and retrieve some data to compare this July to that July then. For now, here is the info from the data sheet page on Pfelling gauge:

 

 

This means the lowest known water level at Pfelling gauge was 228cm on 23 August 2018. Yes, the authorities adjusted the data around the end of 2018 and put that figure as the new lowest ever recorded.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Dipping below 260cm yesterday, Pfelling is back up now a little, but I would not call this a recovery. It is at 262cm. The forecast has been adjusted and for tomorrow suggests figures around 260cm. Small amounts of rain forecast for the next two days. After that hot temperatures and no rain.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

On 7/12/2022 at 5:58 PM, notamermaid said:

I do not recall when the problems in the abysmal year of 2018 started. By August we were definitely talking about ship swaps. I will try and retrieve some data to compare this July to that July then.

Did a bit of a search and was able to retrieve the data from 2018, this is available on the Bavarian authority's website. July 2018 at Pfelling gauge:

The blue gives you the daily average, the line that falls below that is the daily minimum, above that, correspondingly, is the maximum. Ignoring that daily fluctuation, one can see that the river was low in July, too low for comfort on many days already. August only got worse. NW means low water MW means mean water.

 

Remember, 2018 had an unusual weather pattern in Europe which gave us an exceptionally dry Summer and Autumn. That was not repeated in the following years.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

Pfelling gauge showing 251cm this lunchtime, that is a few centimetres less than yesterday lunchtime.

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

I read an article in a local newspaper yesterday interviewing someone of the authorities responsible for the traffic on the Danube river. That person said that river cruise ships with a deeper draft might get alrealy into troubles. Freight ships are still o.k. when taking less freight. The gauges are falling and there´s no rain in the forecast. We do expect a heat wave with extreme high temps.

 

steamboats

[Canal archive]

I do know that one shallow year although Scenic’s boats are fairly shallow draughted the Captain shed water so that we could scrape through. These discussions do keep our male’s busy especially those with any kind of boating experience. Okay pour another sherry!

[notamermaid]

2 hours ago, steamboats said:

We do expect a heat wave with extreme high temps.

 

Yes, next week will not be fun. I now own three fans but I will still consider sleeping with the fridge door open, lying right next to it. I hope you will be able to find a shady, cool place.

 

In a previous year I read the comments of an official, i.e. engineer of sorts, who said in a newspaper article that the river cruise ships with the deepest draft start getting problems when the level at Pfelling is at 290cm, hence the fact that I keep mentioning that figure. Of course, it does not mean a ship cannot sail, that is decided by the individual captain, but it means that passage will be more difficult and a captain may not attempt the passage when he sees the forecast of 286cm. Another captain may say 280cm is fine for his ship. And so on.

 

1 hour ago, Canal archive said:

I do know that one shallow year although Scenic’s boats are fairly shallow draughted the Captain shed water so that we could scrape through. These discussions do keep our male’s busy especially those with any kind of boating experience. Okay pour another sherry!

Draining the water is a good way to get extra centimetres under the hull, apparently better than unloading all passengers. But a combination of the two is even better, if only a tiny bit. And safer for the passengers should the ship get stuck.

 

Talking of learned discussion: I have seen this interesting drawing of how a ship sits in water on the Danube, with lots of lines and explanations. I will try and find that.

 

Pfelling gauge is at 246cm.

 

[notamermaid]

6 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Talking of learned discussion: I have seen this interesting drawing of how a ship sits in water on the Danube, with lots of lines and explanations. I will try and find that.

Here it is, and a new German word to learn: Abladetiefenberechnung. Hah, only joking. The page exists in English and it explains the calculation of the draught loaded: https://www.viadonau.org/en/economy/services-transport-planning/calculation-of-the-draught-loaded

 

Reading and learning that should last an evening or two sherries.

 

Pfelling gauge is stable at 246cm.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited July 15, 2022 by notamermaid
added info