Lake Constance hits record low for September 30

Lake Constance’s level at Bregenz stood at 256 centimetres on Wednesday morning, a record low for September 30 since measurements began in 1864, ORF reported. The reading was eight centimetres below the previous minimum for the date and about a metre below the long-term average.

The extent of the low water is especially visible at Rohrspitz, a shallow part of the Rhine Delta at Fußach. Broad stretches of sand and mud are exposed where water would normally cover the shore and extend into the lake.

The lake reached its highest level of the year at just 341 centimetres on June 13 and 14. Monthly averages then fell from 335 centimetres in June to 315 in July, 284 in August and 270 so far in September. In August, the level dropped below the January average of 286 centimetres, making the lake lower in summer than in winter.

A winter with little snow, low inflows from the Alps and an exceptionally hot, dry summer have contributed to the shortage. The usual peak from snowmelt, which typically raises the lake level around the end of June, was largely absent this year.

A recovery in autumn is considered unlikely. Experts say the lake would need several days of steady rain, well above what is usual for the season, to return to normal levels. Short, intense downpours have little effect because water quickly drains through the tributaries. How much snow falls and accumulates in the Alps this coming winter will be crucial for next summer.