Rhine water levels 2023 and similar topics

[notamermaid]

My pleasure. I hope nobody asks me to do the same thing now for October, gets one's head spinning. 😁

 

But seriously, it is interesting to recap and refresh my memory, do not want to make any wrong comments. Talking of memory, seeing that the data is only up to 2020 and 2022 is still clear in the memory, that leaves 2021 which, due to the fact that not many non-European ships sailed and there was not much activity as regards that in the thread of that year, I did not recall. So I have just checked. There was high water with actual mild flooding at Maxau at the beginning of August. The level went down but stayed pleasant until the end of October when bad fortune struck heavily with mishaps combining low water and two (!) ships having got stuck on the same gravel bank. Kaub gauge had the lowest reading on 1 November with 70cm then went back up but remained "wobbly" until rain really set in. This is the graph I posted at the end of the year:

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

It is a lot of water that the clouds have poured out over us today and it still has not stopped raining really. Too much for my umbrella and my leather shoes. My yard is almost swimming in water.

 

All this has prompted an alert for the Upper Rhine valley for flooding (meaning "be forewarned"):

 

So far this does not look to become major but the river will be high for sure.

 

notamermaid

 

[Saberk9]

We are going on our first Viking River cruise at the end of July from Amsterdam to Basel.  Water levels weren't on my radar at the time of booking.  Now, kind of panicking.  Glad this forum is available for us to monitor.  Please LORD keep those water levels in good shape for all of us river cruisers. Fingers crossed. 

[RDVIK2016]

3 hours ago, Saberk9 said:

We are going on our first Viking River cruise at the end of July from Amsterdam to Basel.  Water levels weren't on my radar at the time of booking.  Now, kind of panicking.  Glad this forum is available for us to monitor.  Please LORD keep those water levels in good shape for all of us river cruisers. Fingers crossed. 

My wife and I decided to travel this year in April (just got back) thinking no way would we have low water in early/mid spring. However all through February and into March the water levels were looking quite low for that time of year and the low snowpack didn't look like it's thaw would help much. However the rains came and we had smooth sailing the whole way. It looks to me right now that there will very good water levels well into June. Worst case, if a bad drought occurs, is that your Viking ship might have to stop at Koblenz, downstream of the most likely low water spot at Kaub in the Rhine Gorge.  Viking would then seamlessly transfer you to the same stateroom on an identical ship at the other end of the Rhine gorge to continue your trip to Basel. They would then give you a tour of the Rhine Gorge area by bus or a smaller local excursion boat if available. 

[notamermaid]

16 hours ago, Saberk9 said:

Now, kind of panicking.  

Welcome to Cruisecritic. No need to panic. As RDVIK2016 has already laid out the scenario if low water does occur when you sail I do not need to add anything. Viking is very experienced with this kind of transfer (ship swap).

 

If you would like to read about more about river cruising, check out the pinned threads by our host jazzbeau. Great info in those.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

12 hours ago, RDVIK2016 said:

It looks to me right now that there will very good water levels well into June.

I tend to agree.

 

The flood warning for the Upper Rhine valley is only on yellow, "mäßig" is the term, moderate. Not that big a deal. We will probably see river traffic needing to adjust to the situation, speed, etc. but, again, not a big deal. The level at Maxau will most likely stay below 700cm. River traffic is halted in the Upper Rhine valley at a level of 750cm at Maxau.

 

Kaub will react accordingly. This of course means that we will have enough water to keep us going in the Rhine Gorge for weeks. Low water risk? Pushed well away into earliest the fourth week of June (according to the authorities' computers). This does not mean that there will be a risk then, it is just that the computer modelling ends at the end of the third week in June.

 

notamermaid

 

[Saberk9]

I am embarrassed to ask...... how do find the pinned threads by jazzbeau? 

 

[CastleCritic]

1 minute ago, Saberk9 said:

I am embarrassed to ask...... how do find the pinned threads by jazzbeau? 

 

The posts at the top of the forum.

[notamermaid]

Maxau has risen to 661cm and is on official flooding. This is what it looks like on the alert map, a blinking letter H:

 

It is still not dramatic and the level most likely to stay below 700cm. Kaub should rise to 360cm on Saturday and although being high looks likely to stay below the flood mark I of 460cm, which is the relevant figure for river traffic.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

According to Binnenschifferforum the U-Boot 17 is on a pontoon pushed by the boat "Pieter van der Wees". It has left Dordrecht and will anchor at Nijmegen overnight.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Maxau gauge stands at 668cm and looks to be going down again, ever so slightly though. Little rain is forecast, the river will likely stay high but should fall a little below official flooding status (650cm). Kaub level is still rising and predicted to peak on Sunday without reaching flooding status.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[PNFL]

Watching closely since we will be on our river cruise in June 10th

 

[notamermaid]

Just now, PNFL said:

Watching closely since we will be on our river cruise in June 10th

 

Thanks for saying hello. June is a lovely month to be on the river, normally both weather and river levels are settled. Historical hydrology data is very favourable.  And you have plenty of daylight of course.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The Pieter van der Wees with her highly unusual cargo is docking in Duisburg for the night. This is the pushboat and the company with the fleet, based in Dordrecht: https://www.vanderwees.nl/en/expertises/watertransporten/materieel/

 

Tomorrow the pushboat will dock at the "Bastei" in Cologne.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[RDVIK2016]

5 hours ago, notamermaid said:

The Pieter van der Wees with her highly unusual cargo is docking in Duisburg for the night. This is the pushboat and the company with the fleet, based in Dordrecht: https://www.vanderwees.nl/en/expertises/watertransporten/materieel/

 

Tomorrow the pushboat will dock at the "Bastei" in Cologne.

 

notamermaid

 

 

A detailed description of the transport of U17 from Kiel to Sinsheim should to be the subject of its own exhibit! Especially the parts of the trip in around Speyer and Sinsheim. Please share if you run across an article about the barge trip that will take the submarine from Speyer and up the Neckar to Haßmersheim and then from there over the roads to Sinsheim. It will be fascinating to see how they rotate the U17 to get through the bridge(s) at Heidelberg and what kind of barge and push boat they used on the Neckar.  Interestingly, in Speyer they are not off loading the sub at the usual industrial harbor, but at the natural harbor on an old channel of the Rhein. There they have had to clear a maneuvering area (to which some have taken great umbrage). The barge, Lastdrager27, is semi-submersible. I wonder if they will be making use of that capability and using spuds to stabilize the barge for the operation. 

[anonemoosemonk]

We will be sailing with Grand Circle in early July (Rhine/Main/Danube) and expect things to be fine then.  🙏🏽👍🏽

[notamermaid]

16 hours ago, RDVIK2016 said:

It will be fascinating to see how they rotate the U17 to get through the bridge(s) at Heidelberg and what kind of barge and push boat they used on the Neckar. 

Yes, a real challenge. The U-boat will be turned 90 degrees to get under Heidelberg Old Bridge - like the sofa you turn to get through the door I suppose. But that will be next year.

Next stretch, another video. Nice one from the bridge at Krefeld industrial areas:

 

Passage at Deutsches Eck in Koblenz planned for 1600 hours local time tomorrow.

 

notamermaid

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Yes, a real challenge. The U-boat will be turned 90 degrees to get under Heidelberg Old Bridge - like the sofa you turn to get through the door I suppose. But that will be next year.

Will they be hiring a couple of college kids to turn the boat, like we did with my son's sofa to get it into his college dorm?  🤣

[notamermaid]

Brief news. U-Boot U17 drew the crowds in the lower Middle Rhine valley. Webcam of Andernach showed the embankment lined with people. Passengers on the Scenic Opal can pop down - up the river - to see the submarine. Both are docked in Lahnstein (blue dot at Niederlahnstein and green dot near river confluence):

 

notamermaid

 

[RDVIK2016]

9 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Brief news. U-Boot U17 drew the crowds in the lower Middle Rhine valley. Webcam of Andernach showed the embankment lined with people. Passengers on the Scenic Opal can pop down - up the river - to see the submarine. Both are docked in Lahnstein (blue dot at Niederlahnstein and green dot near river confluence):

 

notamermaid

 

On Bergfex, webcam views can be advanced or backed up by 15 minute intervals. I found two views from Festung Ehrenbreitstein of U17 passing the Deutsches Eck at 18:15 CEST today. I am sure there will be better images posted soon. 

[notamermaid]

3 hours ago, RDVIK2016 said:

I am sure there will be better images posted soon. 

I like those: https://www.binnenschifferforum.de/showthread.php?114241-U-Boot-schippert-über-den-Rhein/page3

Well done to Kalle in Köln. And I recommend going up to Erpeler Ley (the rock opposite Remagen) if you are in the area. Quite interesting plateau and good view as you can see.

 

Tomorrow, the Rhine Gorge! I hope someone posts a video or photos online. Bingen webcam for ship spotting: https://heimatzeithotels.panomax.com/bingen

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Maxau gauge has returned to more pleasant levels but a wave is coming on Thursday. This may bring the level to official flooding status again. Kaub gauge peaked at 356cm and the level is going down slowly but steadily.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

More footage of the U-Boot. Regional broadcaster SWR is based in Mainz and tonight the submarine is docked there. It was headline news: https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS9hZXgvbzE4NTc3MjY

U17 had spent last night in Lahnstein where it was illuminated.

 

By the way, the submarine would most likely not be able to sail under its own engine (if it was allowed to) in the Rhine Gorge. Its draft is 4.60m which is a bit too much for the current river conditions.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by notamermaid

[notamermaid]

The computer modelling for Maxau gauge and flooding tomorrow is now a proper forecast and the wave is still likely going to peak around lunchtime just below 700cm. That is flooding. River traffic stops at 750cm so we should get through this wave alright. After that it should be downhill with the figures fast, below 600cm at the weekend. Kaub is going to stay below any problematic levels and from this weekend looks to be most likely at very pleasant levels well into June. No low water in sight.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

In my current avatar is a photo of the Rhinau area in France, taken from onboard the ferry Rhenanus. On the German side is Kappel. There are quite a few ferries taking you across the river. Further downstream from the wide river you do not cross international borders but sometimes boundaries, at Nierstein it is from Rhineland-Palatinate into Hesse (left bank to right bank). Hopefully, this will not be the "problem" that will be the end of the ferry "Landskrone". The operators of the ferry from Nierstein to Kornsand face financial ruin due to roadworks and road closures on both sides of the river, nor far from their ferry terminal. It appears that commuters and occasional travellers use diversions of the road works or avoid the area completely so the ferry now only has a third of the customers it normally has, the average in normal times is 1,500 passengers a day. Local councils have had a crisis meeting, all want to help, Rhineland-Palatinate has promised 60,000 euros but Hesse is not giving any money, stating that "the law concerning traffic does not allow for such compensations in this case" (my shortened translation). A real problem.

This is a German article with video: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/mainz/treffen-zur-zukunft-der-faehre-landskrone-zwischen-nierstein-und-trebur-kornsand-100.html

 

By the way, Nierstein is not only a well-known wine-growing small town but also has a place in history particularly interesting for US citizens. I have written a bit about this here, part 14: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2516698-rhine-beyond-the-standard-ports/page/2/

 

notamermaid