Low water levels not a foreshadowing of the drying up of Lake Balaton – Limnological Research Institute says

A few days ago we reported that the average water level of Lake Balaton was only 66 centimeters on Sunday, and that at Balatonfenyves, it was even possible to walk in the lake bed. We contacted the Balaton Limnological Research Institute and the National Water Authority (OVF) at the time, to find out how common the current water level is in October, when natural replenishment can begin, and whether they are aware of any damage or a worsening of water quality.

On Monday, the OVF told Telex that "there is no cause for panic. Lake Balaton is a shallow lake, and its water level basically depends on the amount of precipitation in its catchment area" – and the weather has been quite dry in recent months. In their view, in drier years, the water level may show a significant decrease by the end of the summer months due to minimal precipitation and significant evaporation during the summer, but the levels will rise again by spring. According to the OVF, “this is the natural cycle of the lake.”

On Tuesday, Gábor Vasas, director of the Balaton Limnological Research Institute, posted his opinion on the situation on his Facebook page. For those concerned about the low water level in the lake, here is a summary of his post:

The current low level of water is not a foreshadowing of the lake drying up. Fluctuations in the lake's water level are a natural process, and a level below 70 cm does not pose a threat to the lake's wildlife or water quality.

According to the director, Lake Balaton is a shallow, wind-swept lake, where the water level changes from year to year depending on the amount of precipitation, evaporation, and the amount of incoming water. “Water levels below 70 cm have occurred several times in previous decades, for example in 2002 and especially in 2003, when the water level in Siófok was just 23 cm, yet the water quality was excellent that year and the summer season passed without any problems.”

Gábor Vasas also pointed out that, scientific experience suggests that “consistently high water levels are not necessarily beneficial to wildlife and, under certain circumstances, can even have a negative impact on water quality. A certain degree of fluctuation in water levels is natural and necessary for the lake's reed beds, shallow coastal habitats, and fish stocks. If water levels remain high for a long time, coastal habitats may gradually deteriorate, which in the long term poses a threat to the diversity of the ecosystem.”

In other words, according to the director, there is no cause for concern, but

there is cause for caution, as in addition to extreme temperature conditions caused by climate change, such as prolonged heat waves, precipitation patterns have been becoming more extreme every year. Shallow water ecosystems such as Lake Balaton are particularly sensitive to these phenomena.

This is why he believes it is important to closely monitor new climatological, hydrological, and limnological phenomena, conduct in-depth scientific research into their causes and consequences, and urgently analyze and prepare solutions for handling critical situations.

Our in-depth article published during the devastating summer drought of 2022 detailed some of what likely awaits Lake Balaton if the climate remains as it is. The lack of rain, environmentally destructive investments, the outdated infrastructure from the 1980s and 1990s, and the unpredictability of climate change are all threatening the lake, and this could affect not only the quantity but also the quality of its water.

Fortunately, this year's drought was not as severe as the one in 2022, but according to the meteorological experts we interviewed, there is no reason to relax, because trends indicate that summers without precipitation will become more frequent in the future, which will affect not only the water levels of our natural water sources, but also the condition of our forests.