Seine and Rhine rivers

Both the Seine and Rhine rivers are experiencing abnormally low flows and water levels in late 2025, directly affected by ongoing drought, record heatwaves, and minimal precipitation across much of Western Europe.meteonews+2​

Rhine River Status

• At the key Rhine gauging station in Strasbourg, the discharge as of November 6, 2025, was roughly 1,253 m³/s, which is below the historical seasonal average.e-ris​

• Earlier in August 2025, levels near Koblenz were as low as 56 centimeters, severely restricting navigation and reducing river transport capacity.everstream+1​

• Drought research shows Rhine flows are now comparable to, or worse than, the drought years of 2018, with repercussions for agriculture, cargo shipping, and local ecosystems.joint-research-centre.europa+2​

Seine River Status

• Seine River flow is also far below normal, with seasonal averages at only a few cubic metres per second in some stretches, increasing risks to navigation, agricultural supply, and water quality.wikipedia+1​

• Management authorities report record low levels through Paris and into Normandy throughout the summer and autumn, limiting recreational and shipping activities.french-waterways+1​

Drought Impacts

• Both rivers’ reduced flows have led to warming water and worsened conditions for aquatic life, with increased algae growth reported in some stretches of the Rhine.meteonews​

• The European Drought Observatory and other agencies confirm the drought affecting large parts of Western Europe shows little sign of abating and will impact river systems at least through the remainder of 2025.stars4water+1​

Ongoing low flows on the Seine and Rhine are symptomatic of wider drought conditions, causing water scarcity, transport disruptions, and ecological stress throughout their respective basins.joint-research-centre.europa+2​

1. https://meteonews.fr/en/News/N15034/All-about-the-current-drought-in-Switzerland
2. https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/drought-over-large-parts-europe-raises-concern-2025-05-05_en
3. https://stars4water.eu/europe-faces-intensifying-mid-2025-drought-across-regions/
4. https://www.e-ris.eu/e-ris/niveauEauParPk?language=en
5. https://www.everstream.ai/articles/current-rhine-river-low-water-levels-disrupt-shipping-routes/
6. https://www.facebook.com/groups/520074852422199/posts/1379037583192584/
7. https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2025/egusphere-2025-3988/egusphere-2025-3988.pdf
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seine
9. https://www.climateurope.eu/riff/
10. https://www.french-waterways.com/waterways/seine/lower-seine/
11. https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/european-and-global-drought-observatories/current-drought-situation-europe_en
12. https://dahiti.dgfi.tum.de/en/19914/water-level-altimetry/
13. https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/report/data_availability_e.html?type=historical&station=05PB001¶meter_type=Flow
14. https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/station_metadata/station_index_e.html?type=stationName&stationLike=S
15. https://seineriverwmp.com/water-management/
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhine
17. https://earlyfloodalert.com/en/river.php?river=Seine+River
18. https://www.ccr-zkr.org/12030100-en.html
19. https://rivercruiseadvisor.com/water-levels-for-river-cruises-in-europe/
20. https://undine.bafg.de/rhein/zustand-aktuell/rhein_nw_mon_en.html