The water level in the Kaub near Frankfurt – a key point where the passage is shallower than anywhere else on the river – was forecast to fall below 40cm on Friday afternoon, the level at which it is no longer economical for many barges to they cross the river. According to a daily bulletin from Germany’s Federal Shipping and Maritime Administration, water levels in the main waterway were unusually low for this time of year and were expected to drop by a further 10-15 centimeters over the next three or four days. While the 14-day weather forecast predicts a rise in water levels from the middle of next week, the administration said this is unlikely to have a significant impact. Big German companies such as BASF and ThyssenKrupp rely on the Rhine for their fuel supplies, and ships on the river also carry coal to power plants that the government has chosen to use more heavily in response to Russia’s curbs on natural gas deliveries. in her pipeline. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. While ships were still plying the Rhine last week, companies were forced to reduce their cargo and the ability to switch to rail or road transport is limited. A river barge can usually carry about 1,000 tons of wheat, for example, which would require about 40 trucks to carry the same amount of goods. Hans-Heinrich Witte, chairman of the Directorate General for Waterways, told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that he expected the Rhine would not be closed to shipping this summer. Environmentalists also raised concerns about the effects of high water temperatures on the environment. “We have very high water temperatures, which have a toxic effect on the inhabitants of the Rhine, on the fish, on the entire ecosystem,” climatologist Karsten Brandt told Der Spiegel. In a separate development, officials in Germany and Poland expressed growing concern over a mass fish kill in the Oder River, with German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke warning on Friday of a catastrophe. Tonnes of dead fish have been found since late July in the river that runs through the two countries. Both sides have said they believe a toxic substance is to blame, but have yet to identify it. On Friday, scientists in Germany reported increased concentrations of quicksilver in samples taken from the river. “An environmental catastrophe is on the horizon,” Lemke told the RND newspaper group. “All sides are working steadily to find the reasons for this massive impairment and to minimize possible further damage.”
