Severe drought sends Poland’s Vistula River to record low

Poland's Vistula River in Warsaw fell to its lowest level since measurements began, according to hydrological monitoring data on Friday (August 07).

Poland has been struggling with a drought throughout the summer, which only deepened following weeks of below-average rainfall and the recent heatwave, placing growing pressure on the country’s rivers.

The prolonged dry spell has also affected Poland’s energy sector. Earlier this week, utility company Enea reduced electricity generation at its Kozienice and Polaniec ENEA power plants after critically low water levels in the Vistula limited cooling water supplies, removing a significant portion of generating capacity from the grid. 

The new record low on the Vistula highlights the escalating impact of drought conditions across Poland, raising concerns over water resources, river transport and energy production. 

The temperature in Poland was 26 degrees on Friday, 2,6 degrees above the historic norm, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor. 

Camera/Edit: Kuba Stezycki, Production/Writing: Kuba Stezycki, Laura Urraca-Makuch/Reuters