Warm summer drives Lake Constance water police callouts up 20%

A warm summer drew record numbers of swimmers and water sports enthusiasts to Lake Constance, pushing the water police’s operations in Hard 20 percent above last year, ORF reported.

The water police carried out almost 1,000 checks by the end of July, nearly 250 more than during the same period in 2025.

Alcohol and drug-related cases fell sharply, with only two recorded this year, or one-third of the number in the previous year’s comparison period. About one in four checks also includes an alcohol test, conducted either routinely or when there is suspicion.

“If word gets around that checks are frequent, that is also a benefit for us. People probably follow the regulations more closely,” Michael Quendler of the water police in Hard told ORF Vorarlberg.

The number of reports and on-the-spot fines also fell slightly, to 176 from 200 last summer.

Officers are paying particular attention to keeping boats at a safe distance from the shore. Quendler said the rules protect both swimmers and the natural environment along the shore. When officers identify an infringement, they also inspect the entire boat, its equipment and the boat operator.

The lake police season runs until the end of September. After that, a smaller unit will continue patrolling the lake.