Rhine gauge at Kaub goes negative for the first time in 170 years

On September 26, 2026, the Kaub gauge on the Rhine registered −3 cm, the first sub-zero reading in 170 years of records. The river stayed below the 78 cm low-water threshold for 74 days this summer versus 41 days in 2022, while the €225 million Mittelrhein deepening project, planned since 1992, is not due until 2033.

• Kaub gauge hit −3 cm on September 26, a first in 170 years
• 74 days below the 78 cm threshold this summer vs 41 days in 2022
• Rotterdam–Karlsruhe tanker freight rates jumped 15% on Monday
• The €225 million Mittelrhein deepening project is slated for 2033