Lake Constance water level just before the 2.50 meter mark

Constancy. The level of Lake Constance could soon fall below the 2.50 meter mark. Most recently, 2.52 meters were measured at the Konstanz gauge. This means that there are only two centimeters left to reach the mark. The water level is currently extremely low for the time of year. Due to the ongoing drought and the natural course of the year, the State Environmental Agency (LUBW) is expecting a further decline in the coming weeks.

According to the German Weather Service (DWD), there is no relief in sight for the time being. The DWD is forecasting a cold front with increased showers on Thursday night. At least temporarily it will rain again - locally around 20 liters per square meter is possible in a few hours. “It can also be quite weak,” said a DWD meteorologist.

There are several reasons for the unusual situation. According to the LUBW, there was a lack of meltwater from the Alps after a winter with little snow. In addition, there has been low rainfall for months and high evaporation during the warm summer.

However, the current water level is not an all-time record: Lake Constance usually only reaches its lowest water levels in winter. According to the Baden-Württemberg Low Water Information Center, the lowest water level since the evaluation began in 1850 was measured at 2.26 meters at the end of February and beginning of March 1858.

Lake Constance follows a natural annual rhythm. After the usually high water levels in early summer and summer, the inflows decrease in late summer. In autumn and winter, a large part of the precipitation in the Alps falls as snow and is initially stored. Accordingly, the water level usually continues to fall before rising again as the snow melts in spring.