Lake Constance level rises

Danger of flooding: Hoping for the sheep cold

The level of Lake Constance could rise to 5.15 meters by Friday.(Bild: Shourot Maurice)

The level of Lake Constance is still rising. As a precaution, people on the Vorarlberg lakeshore have prepared themselves for all eventualities. However, there is no reason to panic - also because the weather forecasts are at least partly hopeful. 

The water level in Bregenz harbour showed exactly 504 centimetres in the early hours of Sunday evening - that is 97 centimetres more than the long-term average. However, this is probably not the end of the story. According to current forecasts, the water level could rise to 5.15 meters by Tuesday. Even if this were to happen, however, we would still be a long way from a disaster scenario. To put this into perspective: at 5.68 meters, we would be talking about a hundred-year flood.

Individual sections of the riverbank are already flooded - for example at the Bregenz pipeline.(Bild: Shourot Maurice)

But even without a hundred-year flood, there could be localized flooding. "However, the permanent residential areas on the Vorarlberg shore of Lake Constance are well protected by fixed and mobile flood protection facilities. That is the most important thing," reassures Governor Markus Wallner (ÖVP).

In order to be prepared for all eventualities, the emergency services have been in constant action over the past few days, high-performance pumps have been installed and mobile flood protection structures have been erected. In addition, all neighboring communities have appropriate emergency plans in place. As a precautionary measure, the banks of the Rhine were closed on Sunday afternoon. 

Wallner, State Security Councillor Christian Gantner and Bregenz Mayor Michael Ritsch went to the site to see for themselves.(Bild: Land Vorarlberg/Hofmeister)

The sheep cold comes on Wednesday
The biggest imponderable apart from the precipitation is the meltwater: there is still a lot of snow on the mountains at the moment - so large amounts of meltwater are to be expected when temperatures are high.

However, the current weather forecasts offer hope: according to them, a so-called sheep cold is expected to set in in Vorarlberg from Wednesday thanks to cooler air masses from the North Atlantic. As a result, the snow line in the Ländle could drop to up to 1500 meters - melt water would then only run off in insignificant quantities.

However, the permanent settlement areas on the Vorarlberg shore of Lake Constance are well protected by fixed and mobile flood protection facilities. That is the most important thing.

Landeshauptmann Markus Wallner (ÖVP)

A look at the medium-term weather development also gives hope: according to the Ubimet weather service, summer could make a small comeback as early as Friday - with reasonably stable high-pressure weather and only isolated showers.