# Severe drought in Romania and Hungary

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/severe-drought-in-romania-and-hungary
> Updated: 2026-09-01T12:21:43.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

Romania and parts of Hungary are experiencing a severe hydrological crisis driven by prolonged drought and insufficient precipitation.

In late August, the Jiu River in the Dolj region reached historic lows, with flows at certain stations dropping to less than 30% of multi-annual August averages. Concurrently, Techirghiol Lake has seen a visible retreat of water levels, exposing dry earth and leaving infrastructure suspended over land.

By early September, the drought significantly impacted the Maros River and its tributaries in Arad County, where water flow dropped to approximately one-third of typical volumes. This has caused substantial agricultural damage, affecting nearly 80,000 hectares of autumn crops. The shortage has also disrupted domestic water supplies, forcing nightly shutdowns in 16 settlements within Arad County to allow for reservoir replenishment.

## Claims

- All tributaries of the Maros river in Arad county have dried up due to lack of precipitation. (disputed by 2 sources)
- The Maros river is carrying approximately one-third of its typical water volume in Arad county. (disputed by 2 sources)
- Water flow at the Lippa measurement point has dropped to 26 percent of the long-term average. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- As of September 1, the water level at Makó was measured at minus 117 centimeters. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- About 1,300 farmers in Arad county reported damage to autumn crops, primarily wheat. (single source)
- The drought affected 79,359 hectares of land in Arad county, with damage estimated between 30 and 70 percent. (single source)
- In 16 settlements in Arad county, water is shut off nightly between midnight and 4 AM to allow reservoirs to refill. (single source)
- In Kiszenden, residents receive piped water for only two hours per day due to dried-up streams. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-01: Maros River tributaries dry up in Arad County amid severe drought

A severe drought has dried up all Maros River tributaries in Arad County, reducing water flow to one-third of normal levels and causing significant agricultural damage and domestic water shortages.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/maros-river-tributaries-dry-up-in-arad-county-amid-severe-drought

### 2026-08-25: Romania faces severe drought as river and lake levels hit historic lows

Severe drought in Romania has caused the Jiu River to hit historic low levels and led to significant water recession at Techirghiol Lake, exposing dry land and impacting local hydrology.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/romania-faces-severe-drought-as-river-and-lake-levels-hit-historic-lows

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Cite as: Severe drought in Romania and Hungary. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/severe-drought-in-romania-and-hungary