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The Rhine has fallen further at Cologne and Kaub, adding to low-water disruption for freight vessels.
What has changed? · 28/09/2026, 10:11 UTC
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The Rhine’s water level at Cologne stood at 43cm, broadcaster WDR reported in an ANP dispatch carried by Nieuws.nl. That is 2cm below the previous record, set in August. Low water is forcing vessels on the river to carry less cargo. [1]
The cruise ship MS Dutch Melody ran aground in a navigation channel on Saturday and was pulled free by another vessel. In the Netherlands, one-way traffic has been introduced on the IJssel, a branch of the Rhine. [1]
The Rhine often runs low in autumn, but persistent drought and a lack of rain have made conditions especially severe this year, ANP reported. It also cited limited Alpine snow, which has reduced meltwater flowing into the river. [1]
The Rhine gauge at Cologne fell to 40cm on Monday, 28 September, a new low record reported by ANP. Figures from Germany’s shipping authority, WSA, cited by ANP, forecast a further fall to 36cm later this week. At Kaub, near Koblenz, the gauge stood at 3cm and was forecast to move towards minus 3cm. Low water is disrupting Rhine shipping, with vessels carrying much less cargo than usual. [2]
The Kaub figures are gauge readings measured against a fixed reference point, not the depth available to ships. Navigable depth there is more than a metre greater than the gauge reading. [2]
2 listed sources · explore evidence, limitations and provenance.
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