National water shortage officially over but troubles continue

The Netherlands is officially out of a water shortage, but the drought that left houseboats stranded and cargo barges part-loaded throughout the summer will be felt for months to come, the infrastructure ministry has said.

Weeks of rain and falling demand have allowed the ministry to move the country from level two to level one on its three-stage scale of water shortages – from an actual shortage back to an impending one. Crops are being harvested, farmers are irrigating less and cooler weather means less water is evaporating.

The government team that met weekly through the summer to tackle the shortage will now disband, though the national water distribution committee, which warned of serious water shortages in July, will keep meeting, and the weekly drought monitor continues.

Recovery will take months
The downgrade does not mean the drought is over. The Rhine is still carrying only about half its normal volume for early September and river levels could stay low until the end of the year. Groundwater will also take even longer to get back to normal levels.

For the houseboat owners stranded on stretches of the Rhine that dried up months ago, there will be little immediate relief. Their homes will not refloat until levels rise. Shipping also faces reduced services and delays at locks.

Water abstraction restrictions still apply across the higher sandy soils of the east and south, and salinisation of the IJsselmeer remains a concern for drinking water suppliers, though some water boards have begun rolling back restrictions. Drinking water supplies remain secure.