Water temperatures are rising in European mountain streams
Rising water temperatures in European mountain waters
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Listening: Water temperatures are rising in European mountain streams
Water temperatures in European mountain streams have been rising for decades. Climate change is affecting water quality, fish, industry and electricity production. These are the findings of a study by the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF).
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Wassertemperaturen in europäischen Berggewässern steigen
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The increasingly warmer air caused by climate change is warming water bodies, the SLF reported on Monday. Extreme water temperatures could trigger ecological tipping points. For example, the mortality rate of trout increases at temperatures above 23°C. The entire biodiversity of the aquatic ecosystem is threatened.
The high temperatures can also reduce the quality of the water, which could become a problem for the supply of clean drinking water to the population in some regions, the report continued. Industrial and utility companies would also no longer be able to cool their power plants sufficiently, forcing them to reduce or even shut down operations.
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An upward trend in temperatures has been observed in the Alps for all four years. “If less snow falls in winter due to climate change, less cool meltwater reaches the rivers in spring and summer,” said SLF hydrologist Amber van Hamel. In addition, there are droughts, which reduce the moisture content of the soil. Less cold groundwater reaches the river systems.
The study examined 177 bodies of water in the Alps, the Pyrenees, the French Central Massif and the mountains of Scandinavia. These include 35 watercourses in Switzerland, such as the Emme, the Rhone and the Dischma.
Adapted from German by DeepL/ac
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