Low Danube water levels in Eastern Europe

The Danube River continues to be affected by exceptionally low water levels as a consequence of the prolonged drought across Central and Eastern Europe.

In late August 2026, the river's flow at the Romanian border fell to around 1,600 cubic metres per second, compared with the multiannual August average of approximately 3,900 cubic metres per second. The low water levels have reduced the width of navigable channels along several sections of the river. 

This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 30 August 2026, shows the Danube along the border between Romania and Bulgaria, near the Romanian town of Corabia. Extensive exposed sandbanks are visible within the river channel, particularly around islands and along both banks.

Copernicus Sentinel-2 high-resolution imagery supports the monitoring of changes in river extent and exposed sediment during drought episodes.