Austria's Rivers Losing Water: Greenpeace Warns

In 15 out of 18 examined watercourses, an average lower water volume was measured in the summer months from 2000 to 2022 compared to the years 1977 to 1999. In Vorarlberg and Burgenland, rivers have lost up to 41 percent of their water. "We must not ignore this alarm signal," said Greenpeace spokesman Sebastian Theissing-Matei.

The environmental NGO compared over 78,000 measurements from 18 Austrian rivers in the summer months from July to September regarding their average water volumes and the lowest water levels. Accordingly, not only there is generally less water flowing in Austria's rivers in summer, but the lowest water levels are also becoming increasingly lower on average. The monthly low water levels have decreased in 14 out of 18 rivers - in the Pinka by almost 60 percent.

In the Burgenland Strem, an average of 41 percent less water was measured compared to the period 1977 to 1999, and in the Pinka, almost a quarter less was recorded. In Vorarlberg, the Lech is experiencing particularly dry times, with an average of 16 percent less water volume, as well as the Rhine with twelve percent less. The Danube, Austria's most water-rich river, has lost as much cool water in the analyzed period as the Mur carries.

According to Greenpeace, the results fit the general development of water cycles in Austria: Many of the country's most important rivers carried less water in the hot summer months than they did a few decades ago. "The water cycle is the foundation of all life. If it continues to fall out of balance, massive consequences for ecosystems, agriculture - and ultimately for all of us - are threatened," said Theissing-Matei. Due to the man-made climate crisis, weather and thus vital water cycles and ecosystems are being thrown off balance: On one hand, heavy rain and floods are becoming more frequent, on the other hand, there are more frequent dry and drought phases.

"Rising water temperatures and decreasing flows in the summer months lead to further negative impacts on the aquatic life of watercourses. These changes affect the regions of Austria differently, and the trend will continue in the coming decades. Therefore, we as a society must act decisively now," said Thomas Hein from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Boku). Greenpeace is calling on the government and Environment Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) for, among other things, a transparent water extraction register, a water strategy, the pricing of extractions by industry, and more extensive river renaturation.

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here .