Hungarian volunteers construct makeshift dams to capture scarce rainwater amid severe drought

Across the dry Ladany-Völgy valley near the Slovak border, volunteers and forest staff are piling logs and deadwood into terraces and makeshift dams to capture any forthcoming rain. The grassroots Water Guardians Movement is responding to a drought-ridden summer that pushed Danube river levels to record lows, disrupting cargo traffic and limiting cooling water for the Paks nuclear plant. Local forester Bence Bardos says wells on his farm are nearly dry, attributing the crisis to climate change and the Carpathian basin’s geography.

Researchers stress Hungary must reverse past flood-control policies, restore natural river courses, and allow intentional flooding of some farmland. The government’s new strategy, announced in August, prioritises natural water retention, while agricultural experts report shifting crops and developing drought-resistant varieties as the drought cuts growth forecasts.