Forecasters: Danube water level will remain abnormally low until the end of August

The water level of the Danube in the Ukrainian section in the first 15 days of August was only 38–43% of the norm — the minimum August level in the Rhine has been updated.

In the Danube basin, abnormally low water levels were recorded in August, and no significant improvement is forecast by the end of the month. This was reported by the Ukrhydrometeorological Center.

“In August 2026, abnormally low water levels remained in the Danube basin. The weak spring flood did not provide sufficient replenishment of riverbed water reserves, and the prolonged deficit of atmospheric precipitation observed during the spring-summer period, combined with high air temperatures and significant water losses due to evaporation, contributed to the further depletion of water resources and the development of a deep summer low water level,” forecasters said.

In the first half of August, very low water levels prevailed on the Danube. At a number of hydrological stations, the actual indicators fell below the minimum multi-year values ​​- from Kinstock in Austria to Braila in Romania.

The situation is similar in the Ukrainian section. In the Reni, an update of the minimum water level for August was recorded – minus 14 cm against the previous minimum of minus 3 cm. At the remaining stations, the levels remain close to the lowest August values ​​for many years.

For 15 days of August, the water content of the Danube in Ukraine was only 38-43% of the norm.

“According to the forecast of weather forecasters, precipitation is expected in the Upper and Middle Danube river basins in the coming week, after which a minor rain flood may form, however, a significant increase in water content to average multi-year values ​​by the end of the month is not expected according to current forecasts,” the Ukrhydrometeorological Center noted.

As USM previously wrote, the record shallowing of the Danube is making it difficult to export Ukrainian grain through Constanta.