Water levels in Zurich have shown little sign of recovery so far
Keystone-SDA
Although the scorching summer of 2026 seems a long way off, water levels in Zurich’s waterways have hardly recovered so far. A few days of rain are not enough to bring them back up.
The water level of Lake Zurich currently stands at 405.4 metres above sea level, as shown on the canton’s latest water level map. Whilst this is nine centimetres higher than it was a week ago, the median for the past 35 years is 53 centimetres higher.
Water levels would remain below normal, the Department of Public Works stated on Wednesday in response to an enquiry. For water levels to return to normal, more than just a few days of rain would be needed. Prolonged rainfall over an extended period is crucial.
The outflow from Lake Zurich remains restricted to 20 cubic metres per second – as it has been since the beginning of October.
The reason for this is the trout spawning season. Whilst more water in the Limmat would improve conditions for the fish, if the outflow were to be reduced again to prevent the lake level from falling further, the spawning grounds could dry out and the eggs could die.
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