Drought leaves Swiss rivers and lakes running dry

Rivers and lakes across Switzerland are running out of water as drought and persistent heat lower water levels, SRF reports.

At Lac des Brenets, a lake in the canton of Neuchâtel, the water level has fallen so far that boats are lying on the sand. The low level is linked to a lack of rain and drought, as well as karst fissures that allow groundwater to drain away.

Several rivers have also been affected. The Fankhusbach in the Emmental and the Töss have dry riverbeds, while the Rhine has developed numerous sandbanks. Water levels in rivers and streams in Ticino have also fallen, including in the Bolle di Magadino nature reserve.

Warm temperatures and slow flow have allowed increasing amounts of algae to cover the Thur. Fish in the Geisslibach are being protected from the summer heat by a net canopy, while cattle have been searching for water in the dry bed of the Ribibach.

Boats are stranded on the Untersee, the western part of Lake Constance. At the Limmatspitz, where the Limmat, Reuss and Aare meet, falling water levels have exposed a heart shaped island of stones.