And for some houseboat owners, the drought has left their water-borne homes resting on sandy river bed. The volunteers "are our eyes and ears on the dike," Van Duijvendijk told The Associated Press. It is in one of the lowest points in the Netherlands, some 5 meters (16 feet) below sea level. "Because it is so dry right now the peat loses moisture, and because of that it becomes weaker," Van Duijvendijk said. Cargo traffic choked by low river levelsEurope's major rivers face a lack of water flow.