THE HAGUE, July 30 (Xinhua) -- The water level of the Rhine reached its lowest level ever recorded in the Netherlands on Thursday as prolonged drought across parts of Europe continued to reduce river flows, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management reported.
The ministry measured a water level of 6.47 meters above Normaal Amsterdams Peil (NAP), the country's national elevation reference level, at Lobith, where the Rhine enters the Netherlands from Germany. The reading was slightly below the previous record low of 6.48 meters set in 2022.
The ministry said the Rhine's water level is expected to fall further in the coming days. Water inflow from Germany has dropped to just 682 cubic meters per second.
The National Water Shortage Management Team (MTW), comprising government ministries, regional water authorities and drinking water companies, met on Thursday and concluded that no additional national or supra-regional measures were necessary.
Despite the worsening drought, the ministry said there are currently no bottlenecks in the country's drinking water supply, while urging households and businesses to continue using drinking water responsibly.
On July 16, the ministry raised the country's water status from an "imminent water shortage" to an "actual water shortage", citing persistent drought and high temperatures that have placed increasing pressure on the country's freshwater resources. ■
