Danube Hits Historic Low Level in Budapest
- 9 Sep 2026 6:18 AM
The official water gauge near Budapest recorded a historic low water level on Tuesday amid drought conditions in Hungary.
National Water Authority spokesperson Gabriella Siklos said the 1cm level meant that the water surface is 1cm above the artificially defined zero point of the Budapest water gauge -- established by engineers in the 19th century -- while the actual depth was on average 3-3.5 metres near Budapest, which excluded certain larger vessels from navigating the river.
Significant rainfall is expected in the upper reaches of the river, so levels will soon rise, she added.
The zero point of the 19th century gauge aligned with the lowest water level recorded up to that point, but due to riverbed subsidence and droughts caused by climate change, the Danube's water level has fallen below the 19th-century lows in recent decades, she explained.
The previous lowest water level of 28cm was recorded at the end of July 2026 on the section of the river running through the capital.
Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881.
MTI photo
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