Dürre in Deutschland: Diese Bilder zeigen, wo Trockenheit und Niedrigwasser die Wirtschaft treffen

In the German town of Kaub on the Rhine, the ongoing drought of 2026 has made it one of the country's most visible examples of the impact of drought and low water levels on businesses. The river is now divided into two sections by Kaub, with water levels plummeting to a historic low of just six centimeters overnight from Friday to Saturday.

Below this threshold, the river becomes too shallow for barges to navigate, despite the fact that the inland waterway group had previously declared that traffic would cease at single-digit levels. Some ships are still sailing in the affected segment, as captains decide themselves whether to proceed or not. Satellite imagery reveals that the level has been dropping steadily over the past weeks, with sandbars becoming increasingly visible on the banks and in the middle of the river.

Barges now navigate as far north as the Cologne area, supplying refineries and chemical plants with raw materials and returning goods to Rotterdam. Even there, the levels are the lowest ever recorded, though they are still sufficient for small vessels designed for low water. Thyssenkrupp, among others, has adjusted its production accordingly.

However, the company cannot handle the volumes it would typically receive from its own port in Duisburg, where barges typically unload 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of raw materials daily. The steel company has stated that it is not close to a production halt and that customers have not yet felt any effects. Nonetheless, production is being adjusted to consume incoming raw materials more slowly.

In Duisburg, which has the largest inland port in the world, the water level currently stands at 129 centimeters, a record low. Rain is expected to begin along the Rhine at the start of the week, but forecasts indicate further declines in water levels. The chemical company Covestro is also facing supply issues, with the company's president stating that low water is already affecting raw material supply, production, and individual product deliveries.

BASF, Germany's largest chemical company with a headquarters in Ludwigshafen, is particularly affected. While the company has experience with low water and has developed specialized ships for reduced levels, there are limits to these models. In Ludwigshafen, 40 percent of the river traffic usually occurs, but alternatives are limited as trucks and containers are in high demand.

The use of road transport, which is significantly more expensive, exacerbates the economic strain on already struggling industries. Beyond industry, the drought is also severely impacting agriculture. The Farmers' Association has warned of significant harvest losses, even total failures, for crops such as wheat, rapeseed, and corn.

Joachim Rukwied, president of the association, emphasized that feed shortages are becoming a major problem, with reports of cow euthanasia due to lack of feed becoming more frequent. Irrigation of entire fields is only an option in rare cases, due to high costs, a lack of equipment, and increasing conflicts with local water suppliers.

While temperatures are expected to drop slightly next week, farmers and businesses along the rivers will only benefit from rain.