Dredging machines deployed at Bezdán to keep canal water supply afloat amid record low river levels
Excavators are being used to deepen the Danube channel at Bezdán as water levels drop to historic lows, limiting the flow to the Duna-Tisza-Duna canal system.
Because the river now sits at minus 178 centimetres, authorities have turned to dredging equipment to increase the depth of the waterway near Bezdán. The Bezdan II pump station was designed to operate down to minus 100 centimetres, so it cannot run at full capacity under current conditions. The machines continue to feed water into the canal network, but only in reduced volumes to protect the infrastructure. Maintaining flow is critical for irrigating surrounding farmland.
Why it matters
The canal supplies irrigation water to farms, so reduced flow threatens regional agriculture.
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