Level expected to reach more than seven meters Bonn residents can expect the Rhine water level to rise on the weekend
Bonn · Heavy rain and melting snow from the Alps are causing the Rhine water level to rise. It’s expected to be at more than seven meters this weekend. Some of the riverbank areas could experience flooding.
Melting snow from the Alps and recent heavy rains are causing the Rhine water level to rise. On the weekend, this will result in high waters in Bonn and the region, with possible flooding in some areas along the riverbanks. According to the State Environment Agency, the water levels of the Rhine are likely to rise into the coming week. The highest levels are expected to be reached along the Middle Rhine on Monday at the earliest.
In Bonn, the water level reached about 4.50 meters early Friday afternoon and was expected to climb to over five meters over the course of the day. On Saturday, the water level is expected to exceed six meters and on Sunday climb to more than seven meters. By Monday, the water level could rise to eight meters.
For Beuel, high water levels on Sunday could have a noticeable effect: When the Rhine water level reaches seven meters there, it is already flooded. It also becomes critical at seven meters for the riverside promenade at the “Rathenauufer” between the “Erster” and “Zweiter Fährgasse”. The riverside promenade at “Alter Zoll” experiences flooding when the level reaches 7.50 meters.
As the city of Bonn announced on Friday, the city's public order service has started informing vehicle owners who have their cars parked in the “Brassertufer” to move them as flooding may occur. The city is informing residents that vehicles parked there will be towed away when the water level reaches 6.50 meters. Open parking spaces there are already being closed off.
What happens at the various stages of rising water levels
The city's public order service will regularly check areas of the riverbank where it is vulnerable to flooding. In order to prevent the Rhine water from entering the sewer system, various valves have been closed off. Over the weekend, further precautions will be taken as the level rises. For example, street drainages near the Rhine will be sealed off on the Bonn and Beuel sides.
At a water level of 6.20 to 6.40 meters, the Mondorf ferry stops running, and at 6.80 meters, boats and barges are not allowed to operate on the Rhine. When it reaches seven meters, the dam gates in Beuel between Wolfsgasse and Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Strasse will be closed, as well as the access roads on the left side of the Rhine in the area between Schaumburg-Lippe-Strasse and Legionsweg. The bus stops "Bad Godesberg Fähre" and "Bad Godesberg Rheinufer" will no longer be served. If the water level reaches 7.40 meters, tram line 66 in the Königswinter/Bad Honnef-Rhöndorf area will be flooded. From 7.50 meters, the riverside promenade "Am Alten Zoll" is flooded, and it is no longer passable from eight meters.
SWB Bus und Bahn (public transport company) also announced on Friday that it would monitor the situation in order to be able to react quickly if necessary. It mostly concerns line 66 in the Königswinter area. Should the Rhine overflow its banks there, line 66 coming from Bonn will only travel as far as Königswinter “Clemens-August-Straße". SWB Bus und Bahn will then use replacement buses between Königswinter and Bad Honnef.
The data on the water level are based on measurements taken by the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration. The measuring station is located in Bonn at Rhine kilometer 654.80.
Orig. text: Leandra Kubiak
Translation: ck
