Drought persists across Carinthia as rivers run low

Drought has continued into autumn in Carinthia, leaving rivers with low flows and affecting wildlife, while lake temperatures remain unusually high, ORF reported. Since January, precipitation has been 10 to 30 percent below average, depending on the region, according to the state’s hydrographic service. The Lavant Valley and the Gurk and Glan valleys are among the hardest hit.

Low snowfall, little rain and a record-hot summer have contributed to the dry conditions. Gerhard Hohenwartern of GeoSphere Austria said no substantial rainfall was expected. In St. Andrä in the Lavant Valley, less than 600 litres of precipitation per square metre fell over the past 365 days. No municipality in Carinthia received its average precipitation during that period, he said.

At Lavamünd, where the Lavant meets the Drau, around 2.7 billion cubic metres less water has flowed through since January 1 than the long-term average. That is equivalent to about three times the volume of Lake Wörthersee.

All rivers are experiencing reduced flows, said Johannes Moser of the state hydrographic service. Low water levels, which are usually seen in winter, have persisted throughout the year. Some waterways have dried out in places, including former side channels of the upper Drau. Fisheries expert Wolfgang Honsig-Erlenburg said this threatens fish reproduction, particularly because young fish use those waters for shelter.

Carinthia’s lakes are also warmer than usual for this time of year. Lake Wörthersee is about 20 degrees Celsius, although its water level remains within the normal range. Its average level is 125 centimetres and the current level is around 110 centimetres. Lake Ossiachersee has an average level of 130 centimetres and is currently around 90 centimetres.

Moser said swings between very dry and extremely wet conditions were becoming more pronounced. A wet autumn and a snowy winter could shift conditions in the other direction.