Swiss rivers hit record temperatures

Several Swiss rivers reached record temperatures this month, including the Aare, here at Uttigen, between Thun and Bern Keystone / Anthony Anex

Eleven river monitoring stations in Switzerland have recorded the highest temperatures since measurements began. Twenty-two further stations recorded record temperatures for July.

The Aare at Thun (23.4°C) and at Bern (23.9°C) has never been hotter, the Federal Office for the Environment said on Tuesday.

Federal data showed nine other measuring stations also breaking records: the Reuss near Seedorf (16.2°C), the Ticino near Riazzino (23.1°C), the Emme near Emmenmatt (22.5°C), the Allenbach near Adelboden (17.1°C), the Suze near Sonceboz (19.3°C), the Dischmabach near Davos (15.7°C), the Poschiavino near La Rösa (15.4°C), the Linth near Mollis (16.5°C) and the Inn near S-chanf (15.1°C).

In total, the Federal Office for the Environment measures the temperature of rivers and streams at 60 stations. The water temperature of lakes is mainly recorded in rivers flowing from the lakes.

Climate change consequences

In the long term the office noted a clear trend towards increased temperatures in Swiss waters. Climate change meant further increases were to be expected in the coming decades, it said.

Meanwhile, army helicopters were used on Tuesday morning to take water to animals in an alpine pasture in the central Swiss canton of Obwald. This is the first time the army has been called to deliver such assistance during the current period of heat and drought.  

Other consequences of the current heatwave include a ban on open fires and fireworks ahead of Swiss National Day on August 1 and a ban on pumping water from rivers, streams and ponds. Some municipalities have also prohibited the filling of private swimming pools, the use of water sprinklers or the washing of cars.

Authorities in the mountain resort of Nendaz decided to refill a mountain lake situated at more than 2,200m above sea level which is home to a large population of amphibians and exceptional Alpine flora.