English-language coverage of drought news from the Netherlands.
The Netherlands is facing unprecedented low water levels on the Rhine and IJssel rivers due to persistent drought. For the first time, one-way shipping restrictions are in place on the IJssel, forcing vessels on a 300km detour. A Dutch cruise ship ran aground near Cologne. The situation could affect supply chains and prices for imported goods.
Prolonged drought has reduced Dutch crop yields by 10-30%, but higher market prices have largely kept farmers profitable. Meanwhile, the government's nitrogen plan falls short of its 2035 target, prompting calls for compulsory cuts in livestock — a move the agriculture minister firmly rejects.
The summer of 2026 is the hottest on record in the Netherlands, with average temperature 19.3°C. The Zeezuiper wetland in Noord-Brabant has dried up completely for the first time since 1300, causing mass fish kills and threatening migrating birds. Climate experts warn such summers could become average by 2050.