Declining water levels in the Żywiec Reservoir, Poland

The Żywiec Reservoir, in southern Poland, is facing low water levels after prolonged dry conditions. In early September 2026, a hydrological drought warning has been issued for the area as water levels continued to fall, exposing large parts of the reservoir bed.

These images, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 20 September 2025 and 18 September 2026, show the reduction in the reservoir’s surface water extent over the past year. The change is particularly visible along the southern shoreline of the reservoir, where large areas of land submerged in September 2025 were exposed by September 2026.

Copernicus satellite data provide useful information for monitoring changes in surface water extent and assessing the effects of prolonged dry conditions on lakes and reservoirs across Europe.