How Climate-Driven Lower River Levels Are Affecting Ukraine War

Climate-driven water level declines on European rivers including the Danube and the Rhine are having multiple impacts on the Ukraine war.

Among them are the transport of Ukrainian wheat, the delivery of weapons and the use of water power both to deliver fuel as well as hydropower. These effects put additional pressure on European countries supporting Ukraine, though have not diminished that support. JL 

Phil Weir reports on Twitter:

(There are) concerning effects of Europe's reducing river levels on the UkraineWar, the most direct of which is the declining levels of the Danube on Ukraine's ability to use that river to bypass the Russian blockade of the country's Black Sea ports. Declining river levels are also exacerbating Europe's related energy crisis, including problems transporting coal imports from Rotterdam into the heart of the continent, including Germany. Supplies of diesel into Switzerland are at risk owing to the difficulty of getting Rhine barge traffic. In France, river levels are threatening electricity production from nuclear power stations on the Rhône and Garonne rivers.Norway is looking to curb its power exports as it faces a shortage in hydropower.A couple of concerning effects of Europe's reducing river levels on the #UkraineWar, perhaps the most direct of which is the effects of the declining levels of the Danube on Ukraine's ability to use that river to bypass the Russian #blockade of the country's Black Sea ports.

 

Efforts to expand use of the Danube - amongst other things - to bypass Russia's #blockade, are necessarily ongoing, despite the agreement to open safe corridors from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.It is worth bearing in mind that Ukraine (quite probably Russia too) is known to have been using rivers & other inland waterways for logistical supply to its forces, which will almost certainly be affected by this, though the degree can only be guessed.

 

Rather more indirectly, declining river levels are also exacerbating Europe's #UkraineWar related energy crisis, including causing problems transporting coal imports from the great port of Rotterdam into the heart of the continent, including Germany. Likewise, supplies of diesel into Switzerland are at risk owing to the difficulty of getting Rhine barge traffic beyond the chokepoint of Kaub.

 

An issue that may itself be exacerbated by a German rush for oil in an attempt to compensate for uncertain gas supplies.Across Germany, executives have spent the last few months war gaming how to respond if Vladimir Putin cuts off gas supplies. And many, from tiny companies to global behemoths, have arrived at the same solution: switch to oil.
While in France, river levels are even threatening electricity production from the country's nuclear power stations on the Rhône and Garonne rivers.Norway is looking to implement measures to curb its power exports as the country faces a shortage in hydropower supplies, with southern reservoir levels at their seasonal lowest since 1996.