Hungary's Lake Tisza faces record low water levels

Water‑balance calculations by the Central Tisza Valley Water Directorate show that, for the period January 1 – July 31 2026, the Tisza basin will retain a net surplus of about 218.7 million m³, thanks to the coordinated management system TIKEVIR. However, recent measurements indicate that Lake Tisza’s level at the Kisköre gauge has fallen below 700 cm, driven by an extreme lack of rainfall, very low river inflows and heightened evaporation.

Lake Tisza is an artificial reservoir created by the Kisköre barrage in the 1960s‑70s, serving water storage, irrigation, hydro‑electric power and a popular tourist destination for cycling, swimming, fishing and nature watching. In 2024, a series of tourism projects—including a new water playground, cycling track and visitor centre—were launched, backed by a 300 million‑forint investment. The current drop in water level threatens both the ecological balance of the lake and the tourism activities that depend on it, prompting water‑management specialists to balance agricultural, ecological and recreational water needs.