Rhine levels in Germany forecast to drop lower as barges reduce cargo

Barges on the Rhine River (Pixabay)

(ZEROHEDGE) – As Germany bakes in a heatwave, water levels on the River Rhine — an 800-mile (1,288-kilometer) river that runs from Switzerland to the North Sea and is used to transport tens of millions of tons of commodities through inland Europe — have fallen to dangerously low levels.

Water levels at the chokepoint of Kaub near Frankfurt declined to 25.6 inches (65 centimeters) on Thursday, its lowest reading since 2018, when a drought shuttered the waterway for 132 days, resulting in economic and supply chain turmoil.

The low water level means barges must reduce cargo weight to navigate the shallow parts of the river or risk grounding.

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