Dramatic situation on a Polish lake. Sailors must evacuate yachts

Low water levels are increasingly changing the landscape of Lake Żywieckie. The beaches become much wider, parts of the bottom are exposed, and in some places garbage and dead mussels appear. However, the problem is no longer only visible from the shore. Conditions are becoming more and more difficult for anglers and sailors, and some yacht owners have been asked to take their vessels out of the water earlier.

Drama on Lake Żywieckie

The Halny Sailing Club on Lake Żywieckie warned its members about the falling water level. According to information provided to the club, the water table may currently be lowering by up to approximately 5 cm a day, which means that some of the yachts left there must be evacuated. According to Beskidzka24.pl, the water level in the bays belonging to the marina is so low that leaving and returning require special caution. “I’m starting to not recognize this lake. The beaches are gigantic now. There are traces of the normal water level on the shores. Soon we will count the difference in meters. What’s the point of having spacious beaches if it stinks from thousands of dead mussels,” one of the residents said in an interview with a journalist from the website.

The future remains uncertain

The problem of Lake Żywieckie results primarily from persistent drought, high temperatures, low water inflow and evaporation. Polish Waters assures that despite the difficult conditions, the reservoir continues to operate normally and the situation is constantly monitored. The required flow in Sole is also maintained. However, the outlook for the coming weeks remains uncertain. IMWM issued a warning about hydrological drought for the catchment areas of the lower Soła, Skawa and Vistula river basins. The improvement could be brought primarily by long-term rainfall – short, violent rains will not be enough to rebuild resources. Even if the fall turns out to be wetter, it could take much longer for water levels to return to normal.