Danube falls to lowest flow in 30 years in Romania, irrigation restrictions imposed

17 July 2026 The Danube River reached its lowest flow in the past 30 years on Thursday, July 16, prompting irrigation restrictions in southeastern Romania, according to the Romanian Waters National Administration. Water levels are expected to continue declining over the next several days before recovering early next week. The river's flow at Baziaș, where the Danube enters Romania, measured 1,750 cubic meters per second (mc/s) on Thursday and is forecast to fall further to around 1,700 mc/s over the next four to five days, based on projections by the National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management (INHGA). “The Danube's current flow at Baziaș is comparable to the minimum level recorded in 2003, when the river's flow reached 1,650 cubic meters per second. The lowest flow ever recorded