Danube river level at Rousse is a centimetre above the lowest ever reached

The level of the Danube river at Rousse today, August 23, is just a centimetre above the lowest water level reached in the past 81 years since measurements have started.

According to the Danube Research and Maintenance Executive Agency, the level of the Danube at Rousse today is minus 72 cm compared to the reference zero. The lowest water level was recorded on 8 September 2003. At that time, minus 73 cm were measured at Rousse compared to the reference zero point.

The level is forecast to rise by 2 centimetres tomorrow.

"Hundreds of self-propelled and non-self-propelled vessels are waiting in the Bulgarian-Romanian stretch of the Danube because of the very low waters," Ivan Zhekov, director of the “River Surveillance – Rousse” Directorate of the Maritime Administration Agency, was quoted as saying by BTA.

Only low-draught ships can navigate the waterway. In the Bulgarian-Romanian stretch, there are 20 shallows that make navigation difficult.

Zhekov explained that the dredging works in the area of Belene Island for the extension of the fairway (navigable way) have been completed. This will allow ships to pass with a draught of at least 1.70 metres. Dredging equipment is also expected to work at the island of Batin in the coming days.

"Separately, I hope that part of the wave that passed through Germany and Austria and is now in Hungary will reach the Bulgarian section. So the level will rise, which will ease shipping to some extent for a while," Zhekov added.

Source: BTA