The OVF announced in mid-June that the average water level of Lake Balaton exceeded the regulatory level of 120 centimetersso in order to protect some settlements on the southern coast, water was released through the Sió lock, which also became navigable, so that the new ferries of the Balatoni Hajózási Zrt. could also reach the lake.
When moving the ships, one of the most important goals of the water experts was to optimize the inevitable loss of water in Lake Balaton, so they drew up a tight schedule, modeled the water levels, worked out a water release and ship movement schedule, prepared the Sio to receive the ships, and removed the barriers. Temporary water gauges were installed at the critical bridges, which ensured that ships could pass under the bridges safely, with adequate water depth, and in order to speed up the flow of information, a new mobile application was introduced, with the help of which the latest measurement results were available to decision-makers almost immediately, explained the OVF.
The dredging and towing of the boats was completed on Saturday and caused the smallest possible loss of water on Lake Balaton, while the wetter-than-average weather at the beginning of June also had a favorable effect on the lake’s natural water supply changes.
The amount of water drained from Lake Balaton in June was 6.5 centimeters, and the natural change in the lake’s water supply, which would have occurred even without draining, was 4.5 centimeters. So, during the period of the water release, the average water level of the lake decreased by a total of 11 centimeters (from 121 to 110 centimeters), the water department announced.
In the announcement, they also mentioned that according to the long-term forecast of the National Meteorological Service during the summer, slightly warmer weather than usual and average precipitation is expected in the Balaton catchment area, so the decrease in the natural water resources of the lake is likely to be average. If the weather forecast does not change significantly, the average water level of the lake will remain above 80-85 centimeters during this holiday season, i.e. it will exceed the values at the end of last summer.
The Sió Canal ensures the water level regulation of Balaton and creates a connection between Lake Balaton and the Danube. It starts from the harbor in Siófok and reaches the Danube after about 120 kilometers north of Szekszárd, at the Gemenci forest. The low water level of Lake Balaton made it impossible to open the Sió lock two years ago, MTI wrote earlier.
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