... this morning to new low-level record of 6.93 m at Lobith (the village
where the Rhine crosses our border with Germany). Since the old record of
1991 (7.23 m) has been broken on august 17th of this year (7.16 m) the
water-level of the river drops. The level of the Rhine depends
not only on drought and evaporation in the Netherlands itself, but mainly on
the amounts of rain falling in the river-basin, i.e. Switzerland and
Germany. It'll need lots of persisting rain; particularly in the higher
parts of the Rhine-basin before the water-level will rise again. The very
dry soil in Swiss and Germany will absorb the rain first, before its soaked
enough and give the water a change to reach the river.

The Rhine is a very important river for the Dutch economy, especially the
export-sector. Lots of bulk-goods, but also containers, are transported by
ships over this water from Rotterdam Port into Germany and further.

Wijke
SE Flevopolder
The Netherlands

http://www.knmi.nl/voorl/nader/droge...dehistorie.htm

The Rhine is a very important river for the Dutch economy, especially the
export-sector. Lots of bulk-goods, but also containers, are transported by
ships over this water from Rotterdam Port into Germany and further.


Not surprising the Rhine is low. But how far up the river is it tidal? I
would have thought the tidal flow would have kept the level high enough for it
still to be usable for transport in its lower reaches. Is this correct?

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, NE Surrey.

Wijke,

It dosent seem that long ago, we had those significant floods on the Rhine -
or was that a completely different region ?

Phil

On 27 Sep 2003 23:25:48 GMT, (TudorHgh) wrote:

Not surprising the Rhine is low. But how far up the river is it tidal? I
would have thought the tidal flow would have kept the level high enough for it
still to be usable for transport in its lower reaches. Is this correct?

Tudor Hughes, Warlingham, NE Surrey.

That only holds till approximately Wijk bij Duurstede. (A bit west of
Arnhem). After that the low level becomes a problem. Ships cannot
be loaded to their full capacity any more.

Mazzel & broge / kind regards, Evert Wesker
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
http://come.to/wesker (redirect URL, no adv's), or
http://www.euronet.nl/users/e_wesker/

"TudorHgh" schreef in bericht
...

Not surprising the Rhine is low. But how far up the river is it tidal? I
would have thought the tidal flow would have kept the level high enough
for it
still to be usable for transport in its lower reaches. Is this correct?



In normal cicumstances the tidal effects are noticable about 40 miles
up-stream of Rhine and Meuse, and weaken further inland by the
countercurrents of theserivers. And what's more the water-balance in our
rivers, and the rest of the Netherlands :-), is at large scale controlled
and regulated.
But now, as the water-levels of the rivers are that low, the tides can be
distinguished much further inland; and are more stronger at places closer to
the coast.

A site of the RIZA (National Water-balance Institute) gives the flow of the
Rhine and its branches.
Each place is linked to a graph on which the latest details of water-levels
are described.
Most striking is "Vuren" for example, where the waterlevels has a big range
caused by the tides. Normally the tidal influence is far less obvious.

http://tinyurl.com/oyxt

or
http://www.infocentrum-binnenwateren.../StartRijn.asp



Wijke
The Netherlands

"Phil Layton" schreef in bericht
. ..
Wijke,

It dosent seem that long ago, we had those significant floods on the
Rhine -
or was that a completely different region ?

Phil

Indeed, Phil. Christmas 1993 and end January 1995 the waterlevels of the
Rhine; but particularly the Meuse, were extremely high and it caused
floodings in lots of villages and towns along the rivers. Since then dikes
are enforced and research projects are started to improve the waterbalance
all over the country. We'd rather keep our feet dry in this country, of
which 2/3 is below sea-level :-)).


Wijke
The Netherlands