Record-Low Danube Leaves Bulgaria’s Lom Port Without Ships

Jerusalem, 10 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Crowbar (BTA) – The level of the Danube at Lom in northwest Bulgaria continues to drop, albeit by small amounts. In the last 24 hours, a decrease of 2 centimeters and a level of minus 29 centimeters have been reported, the Executive Agency for Research and Maintenance of the Danube River announced.

On August 26, the Danube near Lom reached the lowest level in the history of measurements in the city – minus 38 centimeters below the point accepted as sea level, and significantly improved the previous record for the lowest level in Lom of plus 10 centimeters, measured on September 6, 2003. At the end of August, the level began to rise slightly, but in recent days there has been a slight drop again.

Due to the low water level in the Danube riverbed near Lom, many small and larger islands have appeared. In some places, the islands have joined together and swamps have formed, from which the smell of stagnant water is carried. The river flows far from the protective dikes, and along the banks there are large strips of land, which in places reach 200-300 meters. Fishermen who used to cast fishing lines directly from the protective walls have now found places at a great distance from them and say that due to the lack of water, the fish have retreated into the river and have no place to fish.

Due to the low level and the remaining shallows above the water, no ships arrive at the port of Lom for unloading, and it is visible that the booms of the cranes are facing inward, not towards the water. Near the entrance to the port, an elongated island has appeared, which cuts into the water.

The highest level in the history of measurements in the Bulgarian section of the Danube was reached at Lom in April 2006 – 978 centimeters above sea level. At that time, the river flooded parts of the Danube Park in Lom, but thanks to the temporary protective dikes built, flooding did not occur. After that, a high wall was built in the park area, which provides protection for Lom at Danube levels up to 10 meters above sea level.

Over the past two decades, no critically high levels have been recorded at Lom, and for most of the year, the waters of the great river do not reach the protective dikes and along the coast, leaving large strips of land.