Updated
Updated · eu-space.europa.eu · Aug 20
Lake Velence Falls to 20 cm, Breaking Hungary Lake's 53 cm Record Low
Updated
Updated · eu-space.europa.eu · Aug 20

Lake Velence Falls to 20 cm, Breaking Hungary Lake's 53 cm Record Low

3 articles · Updated · eu-space.europa.eu · Aug 20

Summary

  • Lake Velence’s level dropped to about 20 cm at the Agárd gauge on Aug. 16, setting a new record low for Hungary’s third-largest lake.
  • By Aug. 1, the lake had already fallen below its previous historic minimum of 53 cm, a mark set during the severe 2022 drought, after prolonged dry conditions.
  • Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery from Aug. 16 shows exposed lakebed along parts of the shallow shoreline, underscoring how far the water has retreated.
  • The satellite data is being used to track inland water changes and support drought assessment and water-resource management as the dry spell deepens.

Insights

With Lake Velence shrinking to a puddle, could a risky plan to pump water from the Danube trigger a worse ecological disaster?
Is climate change truly to blame for Lake Velence's disappearance, or did decades of hidden human mismanagement drain Hungary's beloved oasis?