Danube navigation nearly impossible in Bulgaria as water levels plunge

The Danube River’s water level has plunged significantly, making navigation nearly impossible along its Bulgarian stretch, BTA news agency reported Friday.

Ivelin Zanev, executive director of the Executive Agency for Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River, said the river’s water level along the Bulgarian stretch was 1.80 meters (5.9 feet) below the minimum navigable level.

He noted that the low water level had made navigation along the Bulgarian stretch of the river almost impossible.

“Over the past 24 hours, the Danube’s water level has remained unchanged at the gauging stations near Ruse and Silistra,” Zanev said.

At Novo Selo, Vidin, Lom, Oryahovo, Nikopol and Svishtov, however, water levels fell by between 1 and 2 cm (0.4-0.8 in).

The River Supervision Directorate in Ruse said no vessels had run aground either inside or outside the navigation channel over the past 24 hours.

Draft restrictions remain in effect for vessels along the entire Bulgarian stretch of the river amid difficult hydrological conditions.

On Friday, the Danube’s level at Ruse stood 125 cm (49.2 in) below the reference zero level and is forecast to fall by a further 3 cm (1.2 in) over the next two days.