Danube water levels 2023 and similar topics - plus tips and info

[notamermaid]

Hello everyone,

 

here is the thread on the Danube for 2023.

 

We will look again at the weather and most importantly the river levels. Do join us this year with your comments and tips and share your excitement about cruising on this European river that flows through many countries on its long journey East.

 

Safe travels.

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

Praying for great water levels on the Danube this year...we may actually be able to cruise, and even if we end up on a bus, I'm sure we will love it.  Just don't want it cancelled again!

[Rebel54]

I'm scheduled for 2024 but will be interested to follow this one to see how it goes.  I originally selected Early August but now I think I might change it to late June. 

[RobInMN]

We are due to board AmaMagna in 2 moths, Mar 27th, at Vilshofen, Germany. 2 weeks to Giurgia, Romania.

We'll let you know...

 

[Rebel54]

Changed my cruise to June/July so hopefully the heat and river levels will be better.

 

[vino100]

We are excited to board in Budapest to Passau with Uniworld. Hopefully the water levels will cooperate. 
thank you notametermaid for all your posts. 

[notamermaid]

26 minutes ago, vino100 said:

thank you notametermaid for all your posts. 

My pleasure. Have a fantastic time on the river. Coming up: a first look at the water levels, meaning January 2023.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

What was January at Pfelling like? Here is the gauge:

 

The month started at a level well above the mean and then went down. The middle of January saw much rain and a small peak is visible in the graph but the level did not return to the previous high. Although it has been raining (and snowing) since then it has not been substantial enough to keep the level up. The temperatures are too cold for much snow melt - and frost is what we want to see in January. A standard month overall I would say. But a bit more precipitation in the higher regions of Bavaria would be good now.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

Let us start the tips in this thread this year with a snow scene, the magnificent Neuschwanstein Castle in white surrounded by white rocks: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/jan/26/bavaria-walking-holiday-hiking-germany-south

 

It is my preferred season for photos of the Schloss. A quieter time I expect, too. One of the most visited sights in Germany it can get a bit busy...

 

Now, the castle is quite a distance from the Danube but offered as an excursion pre- or post-cruise with some river cruise lines.

 

Is it worth the detour or add-on? In my opinion, yes! Far from being old, the building is still a masterpiece of one man's dream castle and the mountains are nice to look at, too.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Rebel54]

@notamermaid I love that castle.  One of my favorite.  I remember pushing my daughter in her stroller while prego with my son.  By the time we got up there I thought I was going in labor.  I would love to see it again one day.

 

[notamermaid]

Let us stay in Germany and pre- or post-cruise, I know many of you are interested in Nuremberg and certain infamous and trying times, or the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Here is a tip for you that came to me as it is an anniversary, the 80th anniversary of the arrest of Sophie Scholl. It is quite present in the news in Germany right now. The young woman studied in Munich so if you want to see this, there is a memorial to her. I think this article explains it well: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/sophie-scholl-and-white-rose

 

It was turned into a film: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426578/

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

Fasching! Let us stay a bit longer in Munich and have a look at a tradition that will take place on Shrove Tuesday. It is the Dance of the Market Women: https://www.iamexpat.de/lifestyle/expat-events-festivals/dance-market-women

 

Fasching (Carnival) starts on 11 November but street carnival with parades and other activities really gets going today, which is Weiberfastnacht or "fat Thursday".

 

Apparently the biggest parade in Bavaria takes place in Würzburg on Sunday.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[Canal archive]

In the U.K. it’s pancake day some! Race down the road tossing pancakes from a frying pan. For me it’s making pancakes for DH the only day of the year I make them, wish me luck, or maybe it should be him.

Edited February 16, 2023 by Canal archive

[notamermaid]

It is March and time to look at how the Danube in Bavaria has been doing. Here is the graph for Pfelling:

 

The month started with a good level and before it could fall to low, rainfall saw the river react with a sharp rise to figures way above the mean but not yet substantial flooding. The decline followed promptly but the Danube at Pfelling has stayed at a pleasant level since. The month finished at around 340cm which is not as high as one may expect at this time of year but it is good enough to look promising for the first river cruise sailings, meaning the level is stable. Flooding in Germany or Austria? Nowhere to be seen and not predicted to come for a few days. Tuesday will be a rainy day all over the valley in Germany so the river should react to that, perhaps with more than just a tiny rise?

 

notamermaid

 

 

[LibertyBella]

Thanks so much for the update!  Our Danube cruise departs the end of March, and I specifically chose the Spring season to avoid the lower water levels that often occur in the Summer.  

 

I did hear this has not been the best year for snowfall for ski resorts in the Alps, so the melting snow may not help the rivers as much.

 

Please continue to share your important and useful information. DANKE!!

[braemar12]

I will be cruising onboard the Amadeus Silver iii on the 6th April from Passau to Budapest and back to Passau. We will be calling in at Emmerdorf, Durnstein, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislavia and Linz. Hopefully the water levels will allow safe navigation as my previous cruise on the Amadeus Silver iii on the Main had to be amended due to low water levels on the Rhine and the Danube.

[notamermaid]

2 hours ago, braemar12 said:

Passau to Budapest and back to Passau.

That should be fine, definitely in (mild) low water as you are not going into the stretch from Straubing to Vilshofen. There is of course a risk of flooding which does not look too likely right now. But April is a long way away yet for the weather conditions and river levels. As a side note for river cruisers: during official flooding the authorities stop river traffic (in Germany) so no chance of company or captain doing anything about that. I am not familiar with the other countries' regulations. When the river rises a notorious bridge in Passau can stop your ship from sailing, passage may be difficult to impossible before there is an actual ban on traffic.

 

I have not heard of Emmersdorf as a port before, it appears it will be used on your Amadeus itinerary for access to Melk and its magnificent abbey. Went there on my cruise at the beginning of April 2013. Amazing place. I enjoyed almost everything about my Passau return cruise, I did more or less your itinerary. The company I went with is defunct, but the MS Belvedere stills sail on the Danube and sometimes the Main. Passau return trip is typical with German river cruise companies. One of the great things was seeing winter turn into early spring within that week. Falling asleep in a deck chair wrapped in a blanket in early spring sunshine one afternoon. Bliss.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by notamermaid
grammar

[notamermaid]

It is cold in Germany, but we have a weather situation you may not expect, although it is not that uncommon an occurrence. While the West and North are cold, Southern Bavaria actually sees little snow compared to the rest of Germany and Munich's temperatures are set to rise possibly into the double digits. After snow and much rain, this warmer weather will get to other regions of Germany, too. And we can expect the Danube to rise quite a bit, the forecast for the upper Danube before Ingolstadt is already showing this.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

I mentioned Ingolstadt in my last post. This town, administratively classified as a city, is in Bavaria, the region is Oberbayern. Before the Danube becomes an international waterway it has already run through Germany for 500km. Ingolstadt is one of several towns along that stretch. It is somewhat a pity that river cruisers hardly ever get to see anything of the "young" Danube. Would people be interested in exploring the region I wonder? You could actually fly into Basel or Stuttgart and take a coach to the Danube. However, all exploration would have to be on land as there is no boat with an engine allowed on the Danube up to Kelheim. With a tiny exception. But that is for another time. This is Ingolstadt as described in an English brochure: https://newcityplatform.de/wp-content/uploads/ingolstadt-tourismus-historic-city-tour-online.pdf

Quite a bit to see. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, ring a bell? Yes, the doctor studied in Ingolstadt in her novel. This is the place, now the German Museum of Medical History: https://www.dmm-ingolstadt.de/ One could offer a pre-cruise to Ulm, Ingolstadt and Kelheim and then board a river cruise ship in Regensburg.

 

notamermaid

 

[rcaruso]

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

I mentioned Ingolstadt in my last post. This town, administratively classified as a city, is in Bavaria, the region is Oberbayern. Before the Danube becomes an international waterway it has already run through Germany for 500km. Ingolstadt is one of several towns along that stretch. It is somewhat a pity that river cruisers hardly ever get to see anything of the "young" Danube. Would people be interested in exploring the region I wonder? You could actually fly into Basel or Stuttgart and take a coach to the Danube. However, all exploration would have to be on land as there is no boat with an engine allowed on the Danube up to Kelheim. With a tiny exception. But that is for another time. This is Ingolstadt as described in an English brochure: https://newcityplatform.de/wp-content/uploads/ingolstadt-tourismus-historic-city-tour-online.pdf

Quite a bit to see. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, ring a bell? Yes, the doctor studied in Ingolstadt in her novel. This is the place, now the German Museum of Medical History: https://www.dmm-ingolstadt.de/ One could offer a pre-cruise to Ulm, Ingolstadt and Kelheim and then board a river cruise ship in Regensburg.

 

notamermaid

 

Very interesting you are posting about Inglostadt.  In April we are flying into Frankfurt, then Aschaffenburg, Karlstadt, Wurzburg, Inglostadt, Berchtesgaden, Chiemsee, Rosenheim and back to Frankfurt.  I have a painting from my Grandparents of St. Sebastian in Ramsau.  Not sure why they got the painting, they were both from Germany/Poland, must of been in the 1950's. We certainly will look forward to Inglostadt, thanks for all your postings!

 

[notamermaid]

Danube water level graphs are now showing the rises in the forecast. Tomorrow afternoon we will see a significant jump in figures, not just along the upper reaches but also at Kelheim, Regensburg and Straubing. Pfelling is getting a little low, now at 312cm and likely to remain stable for the next few hours, meaning not a significant further decline. Rise to follow in due course after Regensburg and Straubing so probably tomorrow evening.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The level at Pfelling did indeed stay stable overnight, The rise started a bit earlier than forecast. It is now at 340cm and anticipated to rise to 400cm and above during tomorrow.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

I suggested going from Basel on the Rhine to the young Danube. You may think this is a bit of an unusual suggestion - it is - seeing that the Danube is quite a distance from the Rhine - it is not. I have marked it on the map, the town I chose is Donaueschingen, the name says it, is already the Danube:

Konstanz with Lake Constance - highly recommended - is to the right of the photo, I have cut off nearly half of it.

 

From Stuttgart on the Neckar you get there even faster as a motorway is conveniently close by.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

The level at Pfelling has peaked and is now at 443cm. Passau was still rising earlier this morning but the graph indicates it may be levelling off. 481cm now, that is somewhat lower than I had expected it would be today. No problem getting through under the bridges.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

A somewhat unusual and "curious" accident is in the headlines in Germany. A ship sank yesterday in the lock "Geising", that is in the district of Regensburg. The barge "Achim" loaded with iron ore sank and it was first not clear what had happened. It is assumed that it broke in two. The captain and another crew member still on the ship were able to save themselves but sustained injuries. They were both taken to hospital. Does not look too bad though. Diesel is in the lock and the water was tested. No harm to the environment so far outside of the lock, it seems. Needless to say the lock is not usuable and both ship and heavy load will be a bit of a task to lift. Any possible damage to the lock will have to be assessed as well.

 

It will cause some disruption to traffic, but the locks on the Canal are due for maintenance soon anyway. Scheduling for the maintenance may be affected.

 

Here is a report: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/gueterschiff-an-schleuse-in-der-oberpfalz-untergegangen,TY6okAs

 

notamermaid