Hungary’s historic lakes shrink as decades-long drainage meets record drought

Fisherman Árpád Selmeci struggled to dock his boat on Lake Velence after the lake receded to roughly 20 cm, well under the 150 cm depth considered optimal for August, leading to the closure of popular swimming beaches. The lake’s decline is part of a broader Hungarian drought that has damaged harvests, created drinking-water shortages and put the country’s sole nuclear power plant at risk due to low Danube levels. Scientists note that more than 80 % of historic wetlands have vanished, largely because a 40,000-km system of drainage canals has emptied fields and wetlands for agriculture.

Biodiversity advocate Zsuzsanna Ujj and others say Hungary must shift from drainage to water-retention strategies, while Prime Minister Péter Magyar pledged a comprehensive conservation plan and highlighted that aging pipes leak 20-25 % of drinking water, costing about 17 billion forints annually. Emergency measures at the Paks plant include sinking barges and installing a riverbed sill to boost water flow. Restoring wetlands could help moderate extreme summer heat and precipitation patterns, experts suggest.