Lack of rainfall creates big problems on the Danube
Dwindling quotas and sand thresholds occurring downstream of Iron Gate II make almost impossible the navigation on the Danube.
Articol de Mihai Bădescu, 24 August 2012, 09:22
River flow was below 2,500 cubic meters per second Thursday, half of the annual average of the month august and forecasts remain grim.
"The situation on the Danube becomes critical. Because of the decreasing flows and shares, began to appear thresholds on our sector of responsibility.
We have three areas of thresholds - at Salcia, at Calafat – here, the fairway depth limits are under 2.50 meters.
"Ships strain hard enough. Traffic is very low, yesterday we had one passenger and some ships have come to port in Turnu Severin, charged and turned on upstream. Below Bechet, depths are smaller, so the restrictions are higher, "says Mihi Ghiba, director of the Port Authority Turnu Severin.
Experts say that the situation will get worse
"The forecast is for a slight decrease to around the 28th. As long as it does not rain in the upper basin and neither at us is raining, we cannot expect high flows" says Magda Somesan, spokesman for the Romanian Waters.
Wednesday, the Danube flows at the entrance of the country were of 2,300 m / s, compared to the annual average of 4,300 m / s.
Under these conditions, the rates of Danube at Calafat were 97 centimeters lower than normal, at Bechet – with 30 centimeters smaller, while at Gruia, the shares were half a meter lower than the annual average.
Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University
