On 7 October 2026, the average daily discharge of the Rhine at Basel-Kleinhüningen was lower than 1% of all measured daily discharges since 2020. The daily mean was 354 m³/s, with a minimum of 291 m³/s and a maximum of 407 m³/s. These are exceptionally low values for the time of year. The maximum discharge on 7 October ranked 30th over the last 30 days, meaning it was the lowest daily maximum in that period. Compared with all October days since 2020, the maximum flow ranked 2nd lowest out of 193 measured days, and it was also among the very lowest daily maxima in the entire dataset since 2020.

Over the past 30 days, the highest discharge was 576 m³/s on 8 September 2026, while the lowest was 188 m³/s on 22 September 2026. The current daily mean of 354 m³/s is therefore well below the 30-day average of 398 m³/s. Table 2 lists the months with the lowest flow conditions since 2020; October 2026 currently has the lowest minimum average monthly flow in that record, at 354 m³/s, followed by September 2026 at 361 m³/s and August 2026 at 413 m³/s. The present flow is thus the lowest monthly minimum recorded since 2020.

Low water levels on the Rhine have consequences that reach well beyond the river itself. Cargo vessels have to reduce their load to stay clear of the riverbed, so more trips are needed to move the same volume and transport costs rise sharply, with the effect passed on to industries that depend on the waterway for coal, oil products, chemicals and grain. The shallower water also heats up faster in summer. Warmer water encourages bacterial growth, which can produce noticeable odors, and it holds less dissolved oxygen. The combination of higher temperatures, lower oxygen and more concentrated pollutants degrades water quality and can lead to fish kills. Swimming is generally discouraged under these conditions because of the higher bacterial load. Further effects include restrictions on power plants and industrial sites that draw river water for cooling, since they may no longer discharge warmed water without exceeding temperature limits, reduced dilution of treated wastewater, pressure on water supply and irrigation in the surrounding area, and falling groundwater levels along the river that affect riparian vegetation and wells.