European countries could face the worst drought in the last five centuries this year, according to information from the Joint Research Center of the European Commission. The water levels of the largest rivers are at record low levels, and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is no exception.
The water level of the Po River in Italy is at its lowest level in the last seventy years, which has threatened both agricultural production in the valley of this river and the supply of many cities in this area. Between 30 and 40 percent of Italian agricultural production is produced in the Po Valley.
In France, due to the drought and the consequent lack of water in the rivers, despite the enormous need for electricity, the nuclear power plants had to reduce production.
Flow rates at most stations in the Sava river basin in the Federation of BiH (FBiH) during the last year are either close to historically recorded minimums or are even record low. This year, a record low water flow was recorded at the Spring of River Bosna hydro station.
The lowest level at the Spring of River Bosna
At the Spring of River Bosna hydro station, the minimum flow recorded so far was 1.22 cubic meters per second in 2015, while the minimum flow of 0.9 cubic meters per second was recorded on the first of August this year.
As for the Bosna River at the Maglaj hydro station, the minimum recorded water flow was recorded in 1990 and was 11.80 cubic meters per second, the mean boost for the entire period was 23.50 cubic meters per second, while this year the minimum recorded flow was 15.84 cubic meters per second.
A record low flow level was recorded last year on August 23rd at the Daljan hydro station on the Vrbas, when it was 1.50 cubic meters per second, on August 4 this year the flow was 3.09 cubic meters per second.
A lower water level compared to the average minimum flow that was the subject of research was recorded on almost all rivers in the FBiH. On the river Una, at the Bosanska Krupa hydro station, the average minimum flow is 23.50 cubic meters per second, and this year the minimum recorded flow is 15.84 cubic meters per second. On Sana in Sanski Most, the mean minimum flow is 10.60 cubic meters per second, and the minimum flow recorded this year was 7.24 cubic meters per second, Klix.ba writes.
E.Dz.
