Europe's shrinking rivers are disrupting industry, reducing power generation and intensifying the debate over how to respond to worsening drought. As water levels fall across the continent, authorities and businesses alike are looking for ways to keep freight moving and critical infrastructure operating. Hydrologists warn, however, that digging rivers deeper cannot create more water and could make shortages worse.
Record-low levels on the River Rhine are already affecting German industry. Chemical producers, utilities, steelmakers and agricultural traders have reported transport bottlenecks and rising costs, as barges are forced to carry smaller loads or stop operating altogether on some stretches of the river.
