Rhine low water 2026: Kaub gauge below the 2018 record
On 23/10/2026, 20:00 CEST the Kaub gauge read 23 cm – 2 cm below the lowest level listed in PEGELONLINE (NNW 25 cm, 22 October 2018). In the 30 days since 23 September 2026, 97 % of all 15-minute readings were below that mark; the low point was -6 cm on 1 October 2026. Along the whole Rhine, 10 of 36 gauges are below their previous record low and 24 report low water (below mean low water, MNW).
Kaub gauge: the last 30 days
Since the low of -6 cm the gauge has risen by 29 cm, +15 cm in the last seven days. The highest reading in the period was 29 cm – 4 cm above the 2018 mark; the low was 31 cm below it.
All 36 Rhine gauges compared
Below their previous NNW: Mannheim, Worms, Nierstein-Oppenheim, Kaub, Köln, Düsseldorf, Duisburg-Ruhrort, Wesel, Rees, Emmerich. Highlighted rows are below NNW. “vs NNW” is the gap between the current reading and the lowest listed level.
| Gauge | km | Now | 7 days | 30-day low | NNW | vs NNW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Konstanz-Rhein | 0.5 | 231 cm | ±0 | 208 cm 21/10/ | – | – |
| Basel-Rheinhalle | 164.3 | 488 cm | −1 | 461 cm 15/10/ | – | – |
| Rheinweiler | 186.2 | 196 cm | −2 | 195 cm 27/09/ | 114 cm 1954 | +82 |
| Breisach | 227.6 | 182 cm | +2 | 171 cm 13/10/ | – | – |
| Rust | 254.2 | 77 cm | −3 | 77 cm 22/10/ | – | – |
| Ottenheim | 270.6 | 299 cm | ±0 | 298 cm 23/09/ | – | – |
| Kehl-Kronenhof | 292.2 | 188 cm | +8 | 170 cm 27/09/ | – | – |
| Iffezheim | 336.2 | 65 cm | +18 | 28 cm 07/10/ | – | – |
| Plittersdorf | 340.2 | 223 cm | +17 | 50 cm 12/10/ | 199 cm 1947 | +24 |
| Maxau | 362.3 | 296 cm | +5 | 278 cm 29/09/ | 231 cm 1885 | +65 |
| Philippsburg | 389.3 | 208 cm | +8 | 179 cm 08/10/ | 172 cm 1947 | +36 |
| Speyer | 400.6 | 169 cm | +10 | 141 cm 08/10/ | 152 cm 1954 | +17 |
| Mannheim | 424.7 | 83 cm | +19 | 48 cm 30/09/ | 85 cm 2018 | −2 |
| Worms | 443.4 | 0 cm | +19 | -33 cm 01/10/ | 2 cm 2018 | −2 |
| Nierstein-Oppenheim | 480.6 | 67 cm | +15 | 36 cm 01/10/ | 70 cm 2018 | −3 |
| Bodenheim | 489 | 149 cm | +15 | 118 cm 01/10/ | – | – |
| Mainz | 498.3 | 128 cm | +20 | 91 cm 30/09/ | 110 cm 1947 | +18 |
| Oestrich | 518.1 | 43 cm | +8 | 21 cm 30/09/ | 31 cm 1947 | +12 |
| Bingen | 528.4 | 44 cm | +11 | 15 cm 01/10/ | 32 cm 1985 | +12 |
| Kaub | 546.2 | 23 cm | +15 | -6 cm 01/10/ | 25 cm 2018 | −2 |
| Sankt Goar | 556.4 | 109 cm | +20 | 74 cm 01/10/ | 61 cm 1929 | +48 |
| Boppard | 570.5 | 34 cm | +25 | -7 cm 01/10/ | -24 cm 1929 | +58 |
| Braubach | 580 | 61 cm | +19 | 28 cm 01/10/ | – | – |
| Koblenz | 591.5 | 33 cm | +24 | -8 cm 01/10/ | 6 cm 1929 | +27 |
| Neuwied Stadt | 608 | -1 cm | +20 | -38 cm 26/09/ | – | – |
| Andernach | 613.8 | 32 cm | +20 | -6 cm 26/09/ | 24 cm 2018 | +8 |
| Oberwinter | 638.2 | 12 cm | +16 | -20 cm 27/09/ | 7 cm 2018 | +5 |
| Bonn | 654.8 | 84 cm | +13 | 58 cm 27/09/ | 81 cm 2018 | +3 |
| Köln | 688 | 65 cm | +8 | 40 cm 27/09/ | 69 cm 2018 | −4 |
| Düsseldorf | 744.2 | 18 cm | +8 | -10 cm 29/09/ | 23 cm 2018 | −5 |
| Duisburg-Ruhrort | 780.8 | 151 cm | +10 | 120 cm 29/09/ | 153 cm 2018 | −2 |
| Wesel | 814 | 86 cm | +6 | 56 cm 29/09/ | 88 cm 2022 | −2 |
| Rees | 837.4 | 27 cm | ±0 | 3 cm 29/09/ | 38 cm 2022 | −11 |
| Emmerich | 851.9 | -3 cm | +5 | -29 cm 29/09/ | -1 cm 2022 | −2 |
| Lobith | 862 | 628 cm | −2 | 602 cm 01/10/ | – | – |
| Pannerdense Kop | 867.3 | 598 cm | −1 | 576 cm 29/09/ | – | – |
What the numbers mean – and what they don’t
A gauge reading is not water depth. It is the level above the gauge datum, which differs at every gauge – which is why Emmerich can report negative values without the Rhine running dry. Shipping depends on the fairway depth, which the federal waterways administration publishes via ELWIS.
NNW is the lowest known water level the authority lists for the gauge. A current value below it is a new low against that reference; the official value is only updated later.
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FAQ
How low is the Kaub gauge now?
23 cm on 23/10/2026, 20:00 CEST, 2 cm below the NNW of 25 cm (22 October 2018).
What was the lowest reading in 2026?
In the 30-day window to 23/10/2026 the low was -6 cm on 1 October 2026 (15-minute value, PEGELONLINE).
How many Rhine gauges are below their record low?
10 of 36: Mannheim, Worms, Nierstein-Oppenheim, Kaub, Köln, Düsseldorf, Duisburg-Ruhrort, Wesel, Rees, Emmerich.