Danube water levels 2023 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[notamermaid]

34 minutes ago, Enjoythejourney4 said:

Thank you for the information about the Danube River in Bavaria! I appreciate the information!

My pleasure. And good of Canal archive to check on the Scenic Crystal. Regensburg lock was due to open on 5 April, but it would not have been much point sailing on the 6th seeing that the ship would not have got very far. Straight run through to Amsterdam now hopefully. No idea how long this takes without the scheduled port stops for the passengers. Could be interesting to follow along to see if they sail at night and when she will arrive in Amsterdam. It is about a thousand kilometres with many locks.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Still moving on her way to Riedenburg.

[Canal archive]

Ohhh it’s a mere hop across the pond. Plus that was also our second trip.

[notamermaid]

I have posted this elsewhere, not sure that I have done it here yet this year. Perhaps it is of interest. The locks: https://www.doris.bmk.gv.at/en/services/locks-along-the-danube

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Checking briefly on Pfelling gauge. Levels are close to the mean, just fluctuating a bit. All good. Graph suggests a range of levels between 380cm and 420cm  Forecast available only for 48 hours at this gauge but the current situation suggests good levels after that.

 

notamermaid

 

[Microman123]

I will be a first time cruiser on Viking Budapest to Amsterdam, boarding May 27th. I just discovered this forum and thread as I was searching water level information. I’ve read about all the lock issues and became nervous, but now realize I was reading about the transition from winter to spring. I look forward to learning more over the next 40 days or so before I become a Cruise Critic. Thanks for all the information so far. 

[Enjoythejourney4]

30 minutes ago, Microman123 said:

I will be a first time cruiser on Viking Budapest to Amsterdam, boarding May 27th. I just discovered this forum and thread as I was searching water level information. I’ve read about all the lock issues and became nervous, but now realize I was reading about the transition from winter to spring. I look forward to learning more over the next 40 days or so before I become a Cruise Critic. Thanks for all the information so far. 

Please let us know back how your cruise was. I would be interested.

 Thanks!

[UDChE89]

Left Passau on Monday on Uniworld’s SS Maria Theresa.  Gauge at the dock was reading between 449 to 453 cm.

[notamermaid]

7 hours ago, UDChE89 said:

Left Passau on Monday on Uniworld’s SS Maria Theresa.  Gauge at the dock was reading between 449 to 453 cm.

Thanks for saying hello and the info. I had forgotten you would be on the river again, good to hear it has all worked out. Hope you enjoyed Passau and the SS Maria Theresa is splendid and full of good food and people. Have a great time.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

9 hours ago, Microman123 said:

I’ve read about all the lock issues and became nervous, but now realize I was reading about the transition from winter to spring.

Welcome to CC and the river cruising board. Thanks for saying hello on this thread. You are right, the lock issues concern(ed) the annual maintenance that always takes place at the beginning of Spring. Luckily somewhat, the barge "Achim" sinking in the lock coincided with the planned closure. Hopefully all goes well from here and the water levels stay good. Generally speaking May is a good month.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

By the way, the "Achim" was taken downstream and got as far as Linz. As of yesterday afternoon she is still waiting for a ship to take her further. The spot is the commercial harbour at 2129.00 kilometre mark.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[shipster60]

I’m trying to decide between May, June and September for a Danube cruise. Can you give me pros and cons of those times?

[island lady]

Happy to have found this thread as well.   We are doing Viking Vidar European Sojourn from Bucharest to Amsterdam starting in mid Sept.  

 

Hope the river keeps going on this positive move forward.  🙂   Not sure if picking a Sept. to Oct. cruise is the best choice, but that is what we have booked.  

[notamermaid]

4 hours ago, shipster60 said:

I’m trying to decide between May, June and September for a Danube cruise. Can you give me pros and cons of those times?

Hmm, perhaps others who have been on the river in those months can help you there more. I find all three months good as regards the weather from what I know of what Germany is like. In June you definitely have the most daylight so that could be a pro.

 

Con is for September the potentially low water levels. This applies mainly for Germany. A cruise from Vilshofen to Budapest is preferable to one starting in Regensburg and going to Budapest. May and June are months with relatively good levels but there is a minimal risk of flooding which would apply to the whole journey from Regensburg to Budapest potentially.  All in all, if I planned to go on a 135m ship upstream from Vilshofen I would choose May or June.

 

A general note on low water. The whole Danube can be low but locks prevent some stretches from getting really low. A long part of Austria almost never has problems. Usually low water is worst between Straubing and Vilshofen, then what appears to be Komarno to Budapest next - not a guarantee, just my observations. According to hydrology and geography websites the Danube delta has a different pattern and can be low at a different time from the river much further upstream.

 

Hope this helps.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

3 hours ago, island lady said:

 We are doing Viking Vidar European Sojourn from Bucharest to Amsterdam starting in mid Sept. 

Wow, a long journey! Would love to see Bucharest. September can have low water levels. But it is far too early in the year to say how things will be. And Viking of course know how to handle low water well. Keep thinking positive, it will be an amazing time.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

[island lady]

1 minute ago, notamermaid said:

Wow, a long journey! Would love to see Bucharest. September can have low water levels. But it is far too early in the year to say how things will be. And Viking of course know how to handle low water well. Keep thinking positive, it will be an amazing time.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

 

Thanks!  Looking forward to it.  Has been many years since we did a river cruise, and that one was only a week.  Three weeks will feel like heaven!  🥰

[shipster60]

1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

Hmm, perhaps others who have been on the river in those months can help you there more. I find all three months good as regards the weather from what I know of what Germany is like. In June you definitely have the most daylight so that could be a pro.

 

Con is for September the potentially low water levels. This applies mainly for Germany. A cruise from Vilshofen to Budapest is preferable to one starting in Regensburg and going to Budapest. May and June are months with relatively good levels but there is a minimal risk of flooding which would apply to the whole journey from Regensburg to Budapest potentially.  All in all, if I planned to go on a 135m ship upstream from Vilshofen I would choose May or June.

 

A general note on low water. The whole Danube can be low but locks prevent some stretches from getting really low. A long part of Austria almost never has problems. Usually low water is worst between Straubing and Vilshofen, then what appears to be Komarno to Budapest next - not a guarantee, just my observations. According to hydrology and geography websites the Danube delta has a different pattern and can be low at a different time from the river much further upstream.

 

Hope this helps.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

Thank you so much for your detailed advice! This really helps. 

[kaysha2004]

5 hours ago, shipster60 said:

I’m trying to decide between May, June and September for a Danube cruise. Can you give me pros and cons of those times?

I did a Rhine River cruise with Avalon in September 2021 and there was no issue with water levels.  I am cruising with Avalon on the Danube next week. From a recent call with Avalon, I learned that 2022 was a low water level year and many of their cruises had to be cut short and continued by bus, the worst months being the fall.  She said the spring water levels are dependent on snow melt and the fall water levels depend on spring and summer rains.

 

I don't know about other cruise companies, but Avalon is proud to comment that their ships have a low draft, so they are able to get through the rivers very nicely when other companies have to divert or cancel their trips.

[notamermaid]

There has been a lot of water for the Danube, we have seen quite a bit of rain. Pfelling has risen to 448cm which is well above the mean. It looks as if the river has just peaked there. So how is this affecting Passau and the bridge? The level is at 524cm and of course still rising. This is just a small wave so the level is expected to stay below 600cm, all good for bridge passage.

 

I do not read much about Austria in the news but today I have come across an interesting news item. The winter had been too dry and there were slight worries of the country heading towards a drought. But April so far has proven wetter than expected with even a substantial amount of snow falling in the hills. The water deficit is now only 20 percent. While Austria - I have mentioned this - has many controlled sections of river and low water on the Danube is less of a concern throughout the country, it is nevertheless good to know that nature and ground water levels in Austria have recovered and we can expect the rivers and rivulets to provide a higher amount of water during the next few weeks.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The level at Passau peaked at lunchtime and is now back to 557cm, recorded at 7pm local time.

 

Austria is seeing high water levels now of course but it does not look like flooding to my untrained eye. Linz gauge: https://hydro.ooe.gv.at/#/overview/Wasserstand/station/16668/Linz/Wasserstand?period=P7D

 

As I write, this is what it looks like, we can see that it was a bit low and that the rain has brought the level over the mean:

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

@notamermaid, just asking for a friend, as I sail in Sept. They have heard that locks are down, but I told them that it was only maintenance and they should be all working now. Is that right?  Sorry, but you are the only one I know with this info. 🙂

 

Thanks.

[notamermaid]

Just now, Daisi said:

@notamermaid, just asking for a friend, as I sail in Sept. They have heard that locks are down, but I told them that it was only maintenance and they should be all working now. Is that right?  Sorry, but you are the only one I know with this info. 🙂

 

Thanks.

I do not know of any current problems. A bit puzzling. Perhaps a late news article across the pond where you are? I am too far from the Danube to know of any short (in duration) hiccups,but maintenance is done. Let's say my accuracy confidence for all being well is very high. Should I find out anything I will post it in the evening.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Daisi]

Thanks, that's what I thought, and I told them that you were more a Rhine specialist....but I'll let her know.

 

Thanks again, and have a great day!  Meeting with our TA to book our flights today...we may actually get back on the rivers again! (Can you tell I'm excited? 🙂 )

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

Thought to check on Austria and found the website more quickly than I thought. One lock chamber at Ybbs is not in use (technical fault), the other one is fine:

https://www.doris.bmk.gv.at/fahrwasserinformation/schleusenstatus

 

Just now, Daisi said:

Thanks again, and have a great day!  Meeting with our TA to book our flights today...we may actually get back on the rivers again! (Can you tell I'm excited? 🙂 )

And to you, sunny here today. Booking flights? Ooh, definitely going up a level in excitement.

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

It's trying to snow here, not to successful but not nice after a weekend of 30C temps! Just a normal spring I guess.

 

Thanks again for all your help.