Low water levels affect not only commercial shipping but also, increasingly, recreational boating. On inland waterways in particular, knowing the current water level and medium-term trends is vital in order to allow for shallow stretches in good time.
My levels
“Meine Pegel” is the official water level and flood app from the flood centres and provides access to around 3,000 gauging stations in Germany. Users can set their own thresholds and receive push notifications if a water level rises above or falls below a certain level. The app not only provides current readings but also water level forecasts for around 400 gauges, which can be very useful for medium-term planning of river trips. The app is free of charge and ad-free, as it is a government service. The high reliability of the data is praised, whilst the design is rather functional and understated compared to commercial apps.
RiverApp
The RiverApp provides water level data from around 40,000 monitoring stations worldwide. The German network of federal waterways – from the Rhine to the Elbe – is also fully covered. The app displays current water levels, trends and water temperatures. By integrating official data sources, skippers can monitor specific sections of rivers and track changes in water levels over several days.
The pricing structure is divided into different models. Whilst the basic data is available on an ad-supported basis, the premium versions unlock push notifications and an ad-free map view. The ad-supported basic version is free of charge. The premium upgrade costs €1 per month, €7 per year or a one-off payment of €29.99 for permanent use.
Level Alarm
The ‘PegelAlarm’ app has access to around 30,000 international monitoring stations in German-speaking countries, across much of Europe and in the USA. Rather than having to switch between the websites of various national authorities, the app brings together the different data sources in one place.
As well as providing regular updates on water levels, the app features a rain radar for monitoring the weather. Skippers can set individual alert thresholds for each monitoring station. If the water level rises above or falls below the specified threshold, the smartphone will sound an alarm – either via a tone, vibration or the LED flash. In the Pro version, the app also provides specific water level forecasts for selected stations, historical maximum values and the option to receive alerts directly via text message in the event of poor network coverage.
You can find more apps here:
David Ingelfinger
Volontär
