On 19 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 376 m³/s, with a minimum of 300 m³/s and a maximum of 438 m³/s. These values are exceptionally low for the date: the maximum flow ranked 22nd over the last 30 days, 8th among all October days since 2020, and was also below the 4th percentile of all October daily maxima since 2020. In other words, even the day’s highest flow was among the lowest October values recorded in the available period.

Over the past 30 days, the highest discharge was 543 m³/s on 21 September 2026, while the lowest was 188 m³/s on 22 September 2026. The current flow remains far below the 30-day maximum and only moderately above the recent minimum. Table 2 lists the months with the lowest flow conditions since 2020; October 2026 appears as the lowest, with a minimum average flow of 354.5 m³/s, followed by September 2026 at 361.2 m³/s. The current daily mean of 376 m³/s is therefore consistent with the exceptionally low October conditions shown in the table, though slightly above the monthly minimum average.

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.