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Elbe in Dömitz: Shipping paralyzed due to extreme drought!
Drought is affecting shipping in Dömitz, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Port closed - forecasts remain bleak.
Elbe in Dömitz: Shipping paralyzed due to extreme drought!
The persistent drought has severely affected shipping in northern Germany, especially in the port of Dömitz (Ludwigslust-Parchim district). How ndr.de Reportedly, the port was closed due to extremely low water levels. Ships, including many pleasure boats, can no longer sail on this section of the Elbe. Harbor master Michael Kirstein confirmed that all shipping traffic towards Hamburg and Wittenberge has come to a standstill.
Even the water level in the port of Dömitz is alarming. The Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration is forecasting a water depth of just four centimeters for the next few days - that would be the lowest level since August 2018. The Elbe itself is currently only around two meters deep. This situation also affects the water police, whose boathouse in the harbor cannot be used. A regret that the police no longer need a boat due to the lack of shipping can hardly be hidden.
Current forecasts indicate that although a slight rise in water levels is expected by the end of the week, this will not have a positive impact on shipping. The region is therefore hoping for continued rain and the possible opening of Czech dams to improve the Elbe's water supply.
Shipping affected throughout northern Germany
However, the effects of drought are not limited to Dömitz. How kreiszeitung.de As noted, other areas in Lower Saxony also suffer from low water levels. The fairway on “Route 9” between Dömitz and Hitzacker is particularly alarming, where the depth is only 50 centimeters. At just 83 centimeters, water levels in Neu Darchau are one of the ten lowest values in the region.
Several Elbe ferries, such as those in Hitzacker and Neu Darchau, are also faced with the challenge of having to stop their operations due to the thinness of the water. Over two thirds of the measuring points in Lower Saxony show water levels that are below normal. The Lower Saxony economy is already feeling the consequences; Harbor masters warn of problems getting boats in and out.
Why this dryness?
The reasons for the long dry period are varied. A dry spring and a winter with little snow resulted in insufficient supplies of meltwater, which further put pressure on water levels. The Lower Saxony State Office for Water Management has given the all-clear for now, but is continuing to monitor the situation closely. Experts fear that in this extreme situation we may be witnessing a foretaste of long-term climate trends.
Overall, the situation on the Elbe is worrying. Another dark chapter opened when the historic lowest level of the Elbe near Magdeburg was measured at just 44 centimeters spiegel.de reported. It remains to be hoped that rain will come soon to ease the situation and reactivate shipping in the region.