Extreme Heat Endangers Dutch Dikes and Disrupts German Trade

WHO:

ABC News - Jeroen Wouda and Dirk Boom are involved in checking Dutch dikes.

ABC News - Peter van Duijvendijk is a flood defense manager at the Schieland en de Krimpenerwaard water corporation.

ABC News - Marcel Beck is the manager of the western German ports of Neuss, Düsseldorf, and Cologne at RheinCargo.

ABC News - Frans Schilte is a houseboat owner in Nijmegen.

ABC News - Vince Kaandorp is a groundwater hydrologist at Deltares.

ABC News - John Kusters is the chair of the Netherlands Fruit Growers' Organization.

WHAT:

ABC News - Dutch dikes are at risk due to extreme heat and drought.

ABC News - Cargo ships on the Rhine and its offshoots are forced to carry significantly less freight.

ABC News - A ship that normally carries 2,000 to 2,500 metric tons can now only transport 400 to 600 metric tons.

ABC News - Farmers are facing restrictions on irrigating crops, leading to warnings of smaller fruit harvests and rising prices.

ABC News - Water authorities have banned farmers in some areas from pumping water out of canals for irrigation.

WHERE:

ABC News - The Netherlands and Germany are affected by the heat wave.

ABC News - The dike patrols are taking place near Waddinxveen, east of The Hague, Netherlands.

ABC News - The Rhine river in Cologne, Germany, has dropped below record low levels.

ABC News - The eastern Dutch city of Nijmegen is experiencing low water levels in the Waal, the main Dutch arm of the Rhine.

WHEN:

ABC News - The Rhine’s water level in Cologne dropped below the record low set in October 2018.

WHY:

ABC News - The drought gripping Europe is caused by extreme heat, which has also sparked wildfires in France, Spain, and Portugal.

ABC News - The peat in the dikes loses moisture due to the dry conditions, weakening their structural integrity.

HOW:

ABC News - Modern dike patrols use an app to report possible problems caused by drought to authorities for quick repairs.

ABC News - Authorities are studying methods to turn soil into "sponges" to better hold water throughout the year.

(UPDATED August 2, 2026 14:26 UTC)

Dutch dikes are currently at risk due to extreme heat and drought, prompting dike patrols near Waddinxveen, east of The Hague, where experts like Jeroen Wouda and Dirk Boom are monitoring the situation. In Germany, the Rhine river in Cologne has dropped below record low levels, forcing cargo ships to carry significantly less freight, with some vessels now limited to transporting only 400 to 600 metric tons instead of their usual 2,000 to 2,500 metric tons. Farmers are facing restrictions on irrigation, leading to warnings of smaller fruit harvests and rising prices, while water authorities have banned pumping from canals in some areas to conserve water resources.