Never before since measurements began has Austria been as dry as it was this spring. Agriculture is struggling with dry soil and is warning of massive crop failures. Groundwater levels are falling sharply – according to an analysis by Greenpeace, 86 percent of the 224 groundwater measuring points show a low or very low level. Austria’s rivers also carry unusually little water: nine out of ten of the measuring points recently recorded low to very low levels. As climate change progresses, the problem continues to worsen. The further the average temperatures climb, the more extreme both drought and heavy rain become.
