The drought of recent weeks has had an impact on shipping on the Elbe - especially in the area of Dömitz in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim. The harbour is completely closed due to the low water level, and ships and pleasure craft can no longer pass through this section. The situation is so serious that ships can no longer reach Dömitz from either Hamburg or Wittenberge, as harbour master Michael Kirstein reports.
Standstill on the Elbe
Navigation on the Elbe has come to a complete standstill in the region. According to Kirstein, only the occasional canoe can still be seen on the river. It is no longer possible for any other watercraft to get through. The Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration reported a water level of zero centimetres for Dömitz. It should be noted that the zero point of the water level does not mean that there is no more water in the river. The actual water depth on Monday morning was around 18 centimetres.
Police without access to the boathouse
The drought is also affecting the water police: their boathouse in Dömitz harbour is currently unusable. However, this is not a major problem for the police at the moment, as there is no shipping traffic anyway. In an emergency, the officers can reach the scene by car.
Kirstein predicts that the situation is unlikely to ease in the short term. Although the water level is expected to rise slightly at the end of the week, this will have little impact on shipping. The region is now hoping for persistent rain to improve the situation. The harbour master also mentions the opening of Czech dams to supply the Elbe with additional water as a possible solution.
Historic low
The current drought represents a historic low. According to the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration, a water depth of just four centimetres was forecast for Sunday in Dömitz. Apart from August 2018, this is the lowest value ever measured. However, this does not mean that there are only four centimetres of water in the Elbe. In the main stream of the river, the water depth is around two metres.
