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Rhine water levels 2023 and similar topics

notamermaid

By notamermaid,
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piginmud

piginmud

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We got off Viking Einar today. The captain had to stop sailing to Basel & turn around.  We disembarked in Breisach & they bussed us to Basel. Luckily it was the last night if our trip.  Our Program Director got on the loud speaker to every room at 11pm last night to inform us of the change of plans because we needed to disembark an hour earlier than expected.

All the new passengers were in the Hyperion Hotel waiting to get bussed to Breisach.  

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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29 minutes ago, piginmud said:

We got off Viking Einar today.

Thank you for the info. I hope you have very much enjoyed your cruise.

 

The forecast has been adjusted and it looks as if Maxau will now peak below 800cm. This could happen during the night so with a bit of luck ships will be able to sail again tomorrow evening in the stretch from Iffezheim to Germersheim. The blue markers mean high water levels:

image.png.618867d220a1455777310d7ccb272e2a.png

 

notamermaid

 

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notamermaid

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Basel-Rheinhalle gauge is well done again but obviously the river is still carrying a high volume of water with Lake Constance well above the mean. River traffic has resumed.

 

Maxau peaked at 805cm this morning and is slowly going down now (798cm). The situation is a little worse than what the forecast suggested last night so it is not clear when and if river traffic will resume during the night.

 

The wave will be going through the Rhine Gorge later today.

 

From the Moselle we hear that after the situation calmed yesterday, the authorities do anticipate a rise at Trier that may bring the level to 700m. The ban on river traffic is triggered at a level of 695cm.

 

notamermaid

 

 

Edited by notamermaid
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notamermaid

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6 hours ago, notamermaid said:

a rise at Trier that may bring the level to 700m

Sorry, that would be a tad high... 700cm.

 

6 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Maxau peaked at 805cm this morning and is slowly going down now (798cm).

Current figure at Maxau is 782cm so going down at a reasonable speed.

 

It is currently raining in the Upper and Middle Rhine valley again.

 

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moonriver54

moonriver54

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4 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Kaub is at 422cm:

image.png.0300cc0bd9e1cd664bcbf55a2770fc2e.png

 

That is high but not flooding.

 

Kaub will continue to rise throughout Friday.

 

notamermaid

 

Wow.  So for those of us Yanks who operate on feet and inches...80cm at Kaub (a month ago) = 2.62'.  The chart above shows 422cm at Kaub given the latest rainfall.  422cm = 13.85'.  What level at Kaub would be considered flood stage?  At what level is shipping stopped in the Rhine Gorge?  Or is that decision left up to the vessel's Captain?

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moonriver54

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1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

Stages are M_I at 460cm and M_II at 640cm for navigational purposes. Statistical mean flooding is at 544cm. Shipping is halted at 640cm.

The markers are on the wall:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegel_Kaub#/media/Datei:PegelKaubRhein.JPG

 

notamermaid

 

So shipping is shut down at Kaub in the Rhine Gorge at 640cm = 21'.  That's a LOT of water.  Can you give us any idea how often the Rhine at Kaub has reached 640cm?

 

We did an Avalon Waterways Danube cruise last May when water levels were quite high given all the rain they'd had.  We took the Passau, Germany guided city tour and were VERY impressed with the numerous hi-water flood level markings, by year, painted upon the many buildings we passed.  I've attached a photo below.

 

IMG_7207.jpeg

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notamermaid

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11 hours ago, moonriver54 said:

Can you give us any idea how often the Rhine at Kaub has reached 640cm?

Sorry, no idea. I only know it does not happen every year. Could try a bit of research but that would take time and is for another day.

 

Bad news from Maxau. Due to the continued rain the level has not dropped enough. River traffic remains suspended. Does not look good for the weekend...

grafik.thumb.png.a535a5e43e0d080324b641421f67b899.png

 

 

Koblenz has closed the parking lots along the river bank(s).

 

To say it in a photo:

grafik.png.7897e0440331464583258f244090693a.png

Look who is thirsty. A Viking river cruise ship is getting fuel.

 

Basel remains on M_I; Worms, Mainz, Koblenz and Cologne are all on M_I now. That is extra vigilance and further navigational measures. Only Maxau is on M_II, i.e. river traffic ban.

 

It is a drab, grey and rainy day today. Typical November weather and it is getting colder but no snow for the valleys, just the high mountains.

 

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notamermaid

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About the question of historical data at Kaub. The website I have consulted in the past has deleted the historical data pages. So I used another one which is actually a bit more straightforward but does not have as many years and therefore I have exhausted my archive. Here is what I have been able to find:

Kaub equalling or exceeding 640cm in:

January 2011

June 2013

January 2018

February 2021

 

Kaub gauge is most likely to peak below 560cm on Monday.

 

notamermaid

 

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notamermaid

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The markings on the old crane, now the Pegelhaus, in Koblenz:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hochwasserschutz_Koblenz#/media/Datei:PegelmarkenRheinkranHäuschen.jpg

 

Historical markings are in almost every village and town along the Rhine and Moselle (and other rivers probably).

 

Here is a gentleman standing next to one, an elaborate bronze scale:

https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/rheinland-pfalz/hochwasser-rhein-mosel-nebenfluesse-pegel-schifffahrt-regen-wetter-100.html

Just in case the photo changes:

image.thumb.png.598648853c8fedce00cb3427f5e084c9.png

That is an interesting shot... I will elaborate with a bit more time.

 

notamermaid

 

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moonriver54

moonriver54

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34 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

About the question of historical data at Kaub. The website I have consulted in the past has deleted the historical data pages. So I used another one which is actually a bit more straightforward but does not have as many years and therefore I have exhausted my archive. Here is what I have been able to find:

Kaub equalling or exceeding 640cm in:

January 2011

June 2013

January 2018

February 2021

 

Kaub gauge is most likely to peak below 560cm on Monday.

 

notamermaid

 

Thank you very much.  That's a much more frequent occurrence of exceeding 640cm than I would've expected.  And during the summer no less...not winter...in 2013.  Very interesting!

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Doh15

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So I assume this is nothing to actively be concerned about if we are leaving from Basel in December (that is, it is all so unpredictable there’s no point in worrying) or do you think the situation is likely to be better or worse in another month?

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notamermaid

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32 minutes ago, Doh15 said:

So I assume this is nothing to actively be concerned about if we are leaving from Basel in December (that is, it is all so unpredictable there’s no point in worrying) or do you think the situation is likely to be better or worse in another month?

Good question. All speculation at this point but one is allowed to speculate...

 

Most likely the situation will ease, the river hardly ever stays high for a prolonged period. Three days of no rain will bring the river right down again, that is to a high but comfortable level. And the long-term forecast suggests the easing of the situation within five days. This does not mean it will not rain but overall the weather will be more favourable.

 

notamermaid

 

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I do not want to go on about it, but I think we can all agree that the incident is major and more than a bit annoying... Deutsche Welle finds it noteworthy and important enough to write an English article. Helmsman (woman), not captain, when the accident happened: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-drunk-rhine-ship-pilot-causes-major-gate-damage/a-67460489

 

There was talk in the police report of this potentially having an impact on the licence to steer a ship.

 

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Canal archive

Canal archive

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Thank you Notamermaid. This woman has let the side down enormously. The lengths any bridge crew of any vessel have to go through to gain a licence thrown away like that. After all it’s not like your foot slipping off a pedal etc. I’m not surprised about the lock gates needing to be individually constructed how they fit and work is almost an exact science but water is strong and moulds structures to its specifications not ours, so in this instance it will be measure once and again and again until your nearly there and then giggle in situ. 

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