Historic Danube Low Flow Disrupts Navigation, Irrigation and Cernavodă Nuclear Plant in Romania

The Danube has reached its lowest water level in almost 30 years, with the flow at the Baziaș entry point measured at 1,650‑1,700 m³/s, a figure comparable to the drought of 2022 and the low of 2005. The reduced discharge has exposed extensive sandbanks, halted grain barges and limited activity in several ports, including the tourist harbour at Corabia. Farmers report that irrigation water no longer reaches their fields, threatening crop yields.

Romanian water authorities, represented by Ana Agiu of Apele Române, said the decline is due to a prolonged deficit in precipitation across the Danube basin and its tributaries. Measures were taken with Hidroelectrica to supplement flows on the Olt and Argeș rivers, ensuring a minimum discharge sufficient for the Cernavodă nuclear power plant and maintaining essential water supplies. Authorities also noted that drinking‑water provision remains secure and that river levels are expected to rise gradually with upcoming rains.