Romania's Danube reaches 30‑year low flow, irrigation restrictions imposed

The Danube in Romania fell to its lowest discharge in three decades on Thursday, recorded at 1,750 m³/s and projected to decline further toward 1,700 m³/s over the next four‑to‑five days. The previous minimum was 1,400 m³/s in 1985. Romanian water authorities imposed reduced water deliveries for irrigation in the Călăraşi‑Cernavodă sector.

From Monday, 20 July, expected rainfall in the Danube basin should raise the river’s inflow to about 1,900 m³/s. To mitigate the impact of the low flow, the state water company Hidroelectrica and the Argeș‑Vedea Basin Administration have begun controlled releases from the Olt and Argeș reservoirs, aiming to maintain minimum levels required for cooling at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant. Officials warn that high temperatures and reduced river levels could exacerbate algal blooms. Monitoring of the river’s flow continues.