The Rhine is shrinking, endangering Europe’s top economy

Water in the river has dropped to “exceptionally low” levels in some areas, disrupting shipping on the country’s Recently, Germany has resorted toGermany’s hugely important manufacturing sector could take a bigger hit. Researchers at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy have previously found that in a month of low water, the country’s industrial output can fall by about 1%.Currently, the German shipping authority is not imposing restrictions on Rhine traffic due to low water levels. But a spokesperson for the waterways agency said that in some instances, commercial shipping may not be viable if freight had to be reduced too significantly.Large parts of Europe have been suffering extreme heat waves and drought. The source of London’s iconic Thames River has dried up and moved roughly five miles downstream.High river water temperatures in France have impeded the operation of some nuclear power plants. And in northern Italy, farmers are muddling through the worst drought in 70 years, affecting the production of crops from soya to parmesan.– Julia Horowitz contributed to this report.