Drought narrows Lake Constance shipping lane

Persistent drought has prompted the Bregenz district authority to narrow the shipping lane in Fußach Bay on Lake Constance and halve the speed limit for boats, ORF reported.

The authority issued the relevant regulation on Thursday after the Water Police raised concerns about conditions in the bay at the end of June. Shallow spots along several sections of the western side of the outer shipping lane have reduced water depth to about 1.2 metres.

The authority said sailing boats had increasingly run aground because of the shallows. Two experts inspected the situation on site and found that the shipping lane no longer met the required standards.

Lake Constance currently has an extremely low water level because of the ongoing dry period. The authority said some sections had less than 1.4 metres of water, creating an immediate safety risk for shipping.

The outer shipping lane will be narrowed by about 25 metres. The maximum speed will also be reduced to 5 kilometres per hour. The regulation will take effect once the navigation signs have been adjusted and the new boundaries installed.