Rhine water levels 2023 and similar topics

[Saberk9]

I know there isn't anything I can do about it, and you so graciously explained about the ship swap with Viking, but I am stressing about water levels for our July 26th Rhine River cruise....  lol. 

 

[notamermaid]

Yeaahh, I understand that. Could be a bit on the low side later in July but there is not that much to worry about. From what others have reported the ship swap is handled smoothly, it just is a bit of a long drive on a coach potentially on that day. I do admit that it is kind of annoying that what is regarded as the most scenic part of the Rhine is the one that causes the low water problems. Hope everything runs smoothly for you and all others this Summer.

 

notamermaid

 

[Saberk9]

I assume you mean the many castles that are along the river? Yes, that is a disappointment as that is why we selected this particular itinerary. Hopefully, our schedule and Mother Nature's will line up and get us through that part of the river.  I appreciate your posts!

[notamermaid]

6 minutes ago, Saberk9 said:

I assume you mean the many castles that are along the river?

Yes, most number of castles on that length of river anywhere in the world they say. 65kms of "there is one - there is another one". But there are many more elsewhere along the river and nearby. Just the combination of hills, castles, villages and the sheer number of them is wonderful in the Rhine Gorge and that is what makes it so scenic.

 

notamermaid

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Yes, most number of castles on that length of river anywhere in the world they say. 65kms of "there is one - there is another one". But there are many more elsewhere along the river and nearby. Just the combination of hills, castles, villages and the sheer number of them is wonderful in the Rhine Gorge and that is what makes it so scenic.

 

notamermaid

 

And of course every castle has a story, which the cruise director recounts as you pass by. 

[Saberk9]

I would appreciate a little rain dance between now and then if you would be so kind. 😁

[Host Jazzbeau]

I wish we could have sent the rain we had to drive through all day today over to the Rhine!  This was the worst drive to Maine in our 40+ years.  The Maine turnpike had lots of electronic signs warning of 'possible hydroplaning' – and for the first time in a modern car [MGs don't count...] we were experiencing it big time!  Moving around our lane like a Ouija board – now I know what they mean by 'squirrely steering']  But we are now safely at the cottage.  Unpacking the car will wait until the rain breaks tomorrow...

[TMLAalum]

The way our summer is beginning with our trip to north of Montreal shortened due to smoke, heavy rain and more smoke only to come home to NE Ohio for more of the same, has me feeling anxious about what might befall our August trip to France (riots & strikes), Rhine River cruise (low water & busses) and Switzerland (?).

[notamermaid]

Not fun, not fun at all what is happening around my country borders and further afield. My country(side) is quiet, touch wood. Of course, you sail through Alsace on the Rhine so there could be some problems, who knows. I have been checked at the border by the French in the North and they mean business, with bright lights to dazzle you while tough guys with machine guns look at your car closely. Hopefully all stays quiet on my river - well there is always something happening on several hundred kilometres and not all good. That is enough for all of us, thank you. Do not need any more.

 

By the way, scaremongering headlines about low water online again, you know, Bloomberg and such. Tons of ships sailing constantly, less cargo but all running.

 

@Host Jazzbeau have a good holiday, hope the experience will improve swiftly once you have unpacked and settled down.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Saberk9]

I promised my boyfriend I would not be a Debbie (Heidi) Downer on this cruise no matter what the conditions and/or circumstances are. We went to Turks and Caicos a couple months back and no sooner did we step off the plane I passed out in the airport due to what we believe dehydration and spent my 4 days being pushed around the island in a wheelchair due to a sprained ankle.  Got back to Florida to find out it was actually fractured in two places and needed surgery. I have been recovery from that to only find out I now have Morton's Neuroma in the same foot...... This too shall pass and I am so excited to tour your little slice of heaven on the Rhine!  My mom is from Bamberg Germany and it has been years since my last visit. Prost!

Edited July 3, 2023 by Saberk9

[JRLarson]

I have enjoyed reading this thread and your commentary on river traffic 🙂

 

I have a Rhine river cruise starting in Amsterdam terminating in Basel that starts Aug 14. Do you have a sense of what to expect in terms of water levels?

 

Thanks!

 

[notamermaid]

Welcome to Cruisecritic.

 

49 minutes ago, JRLarson said:

Do you have a sense of what to expect in terms of water levels?

I am afraid not. Perhaps I can say that there is a sense - a feeling - in the news that we may see low levels in summer, earlier than is "normal". Which is not unreasonable, seeing that the levels were pretty low in August last year and it has been indicated that there was insufficient rainfall in Spring. But the probability graph only goes 14 days into the future, so we are not near your date with that. Looking further into the future there is a computer model that takes in historical data and other parametres, so only deals with "statistically we may expect...", etc. For now it looks as if we will have a summer with a reduced volume of water and low-ish levels in July but how low August will be - no real idea other than that the computer modelling bars do not look to be going far down into the below 100cm area, so not dire. The margin of error is large so far into the future...

 

notamermaid

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

16 hours ago, notamermaid said:

@Host Jazzbeau have a good holiday, hope the experience will improve swiftly once you have unpacked and settled down.

Much better today thanks.  Rained all morning, so stayed in bed.  This evening had lobster.  If the next two weeks are "rinse, repeat" I'll be fine!!!

[reeves35]

There has been a decent amount of rain in UK over past 24 hours with play at Wimbledon suspended.  This system appears to be heading towards continental Europe with potential to fall across Rhine catchments in Germany.  Hopefully it will give a welcome top up.

[notamermaid]

It is July, time to have a look at what the river did at Kaub gauge in June:

 

From the good level at the beginning of the month the level fell - in the absence of rain - steadily till a good amount of rain gave a short rise that could not get us back to a really comfortable level for the logistics companies, so the month ended on a relative low for barges. Nothing that would affect river cruise ships. Overall a satisfying month but with that niggling feeling that there is not enough volume of water to sustain a decent level above 100cm. We now mainly rely on rain in the catchment area of the Rhine to get us through summer as the major natural reservoir of the Rhine, Lake Constance which the river flows through, looses water when spring snow melt has finished. The Lake is certainly able to still help but the level is going down (notice the small hump in the graph created by a higher level when much rainfall in the area led to a higher volume of water):

This is a standard occurrence and the level of this huge lake is still above the mean. So nothing to really worry about up there just yet. It is just not raining enough in my opinion all over the Upper Rhine valley. But let us see how July develops.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[reeves35]

I found this time series online from the TUM in Munich which gives an interesting perspective of Rhine river levels at Wesel which I think is near Dusseldorf.  It looks like 2023 is tracking in a very similar way to 2022 but nowhere near as bad as 2018. 

 

With the Rhine very dependent on rainfall with no major weirs along the way to moderate flows, it would be foolish to make a forecast of where we will be in August but, selfishly given I have a cruise commencing mid-August, I have my fingers crossed.

 

[Kristelle]

13 minutes ago, reeves35 said:

 but, selfishly given I have a cruise commencing mid-August, I have my fingers crossed.

 

 

 

 

as do I for September 😉🤣

[Saberk9]

As I do July 26th. Fingers crossed for us all. 

[notamermaid]

12 hours ago, reeves35 said:

I found this time series online from the TUM in Munich which gives an interesting perspective of Rhine river levels at Wesel which I think is near Dusseldorf. 

Thank you, an interesting perspective on the annual levels. Wesel is some kilometres from Düsseldorf, but in the grand scheme of the river close. 🙂 One river of some significance for volume of water still joins the Rhine between Düsseldorf and Wesel, that is the Ruhr at Duisburg. But it does not give enough water to alter the picture the river gives at for example Cologne compared to Wesel. One major difference between Kaub and the stations further downstream from Koblenz is that the Moselle has joined the Rhine (after the gauge at Koblenz) and this major tributary can alter the river level significantly. But in the annual graph this difference will not show up much. And yes, the trajectory appears to be similar to 2022. All in all, a standard thing but a bit too early and a bit from too low a baseline for my liking.

 

It is dry again in the valley, the storms have subsided and the temperatures are rising. On Sunday we may see thunderstorms.

 

Kaub gauge at 115cm. The 100cm are very much coming into view for Monday, with a likelihood for a level below that for Tuesday.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[flahagan]

14 hours ago, Kristelle said:

 

 

as do I for September 😉🤣

Mine starts in Amsterdam August 6, hoping for the best!

[SGinNE]

20 minutes ago, flahagan said:

Mine starts in Amsterdam August 6, hoping for the best!

We fly out Saturday and it's looking like we'll sneak through next week. 

 

I'll be sure to wave in @notamermaid's direction when we're drifting through 😊

[notamermaid]

The 100cm at Kaub now appear in the table of figures for Tuesday. It looks like the 13th will bring the lowest level, when it could drop to below 90cm. That may affect sailing minimally but more likely just adjustments like changing a docking location. Remember, there is no ban on river traffic in low water, so "the captain's decision on sailing is final".

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Saberk9]

The 26th will be here for John and I before we know it. Don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade (so let’s hope it happens while sleeping lol), but hoping for some good downpours so that the Kaub water levels offer smooth sailing for us all. Need to start checking on the temperatures so I know how to properly pack. Thank you Notamermaid for all your information and will continue to look daily for your updates. So appreciated!

[Kbrown23]

7 minutes ago, Saberk9 said:

The 26th will be here for John and I before we know it. Don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade (so let’s hope it happens while sleeping lol), but hoping for some good downpours so that the Kaub water levels offer smooth sailing for us all. Need to start checking on the temperatures so I know how to properly pack. Thank you Notamermaid for all your information and will continue to look daily for your updates. So appreciated!

We are sailing 8/1 from Amsterdam. Maybe if we both cross our fingers...

[Saberk9]

7 minutes ago, Kbrown23 said:

We are sailing 8/1 from Amsterdam. Maybe if we both cross our fingers...

We too are leaving from Amsterdam. So definitely fingers, toes etc crossed for us all.  And of course prayer. Notamermaid's posts are like the old commercial "When E. F. Hutton talks, everyone listens".  So appreciate having info providing updates (even though sometimes it stresses me out-lol). No matter what, it will all be good.