Snow in the Alps could increase Rijn's water level

Snow is expected in the Alps this weekend and that is good news for the Rijn river, according to Weeronline. After the weekend the water level in the Rijn will not fall further, and may even rise a bit, the weather service expects.

The snow is expected in France, Switzerland, southern Germany and the northern parts of Austria. "A few dozen centimeters of snow are expected above 1,500 meters. Around 50 millimeters of precipitation will fall and that is good news for the water level in the Rijn", Weeronline writes.

The water level of the Rijn at Lobith is currently historically low at 6.50 meters. The low water level has major consequences, especially for shipping. Overloaded ships run to ground, which means that water transport has become around 5 times more expensive over the past weeks, according to the Telegraaf. The increased demand for road hauliers is also threatening congestion at container terminals.

"The industry is also in trouble. It has to eat into stocks. That can't go well for long. The result is that production will have to be reduced", Kai Kemperman, director of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rijn, said to the newspaper.