The Danube has fallen to a historic low in Serbia, triggering a severe crisis in Vojvodina’s water management system, with the Danube–Tisza–Danube canal network — crucial to the region’s water supply and agriculture — now under threat of drying up.
Danube-River Tisza channel may dry out
A state of emergency was declared last week in several towns across Vojvodina, including Sombor, Kula and Vrbas. The provincial government has set aside 270 million dinars, or about 837 million forints, for emergency measures, the Hungarian news agency wrote.
The water management system is facing one of the most serious hydrological situations of the past century, Dragan Glamočić, the agriculture, forestry and water management minister, said during a visit to the Danube pumping station at Bezdan.
He said the level of the Danube had dropped below the station’s original design threshold, making urgent action necessary.
Historic water level lows
According to the company Vode Vojvodine, the pumping station at Bezdan, which supplies water to northern Bačka, stopped operating on July 29. The station at Gomboš (Bogojevo), which serves southern Bačka, is still able to draw water for now, but has a reserve of only about 20 centimetres, he explained. He added that operations at the pumping station in Grocka, near Belgrade, have also been temporarily suspended.
Water-use restrictions and other extraordinary measures introduced in Hungary to avert crisis
The national public health institute has warned of increased river pollution because of the exceptionally low water level, and has advised people not to eat fish from the Danube while the river remains at such a low ebb.
On Monday, the water level at Bezdan, near the Hungarian and Croatian borders, was measured at minus 163 centimetres, the lowest level since 1909. The previous negative record was minus 143 centimetres relative to the zero point on the gauge. Forecasts suggest the Danube could fall to minus 170 centimetres by Friday.
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