On Friday, the navigable water depth at the chokepoint of Kaub near Koblenz hit the 2018 record low of 25cm, before recovering slightly on Monday. The Kaub gauging station in western Germany is a key indicator of navigability on the Rhine because it measures how heavily cargo vessels can be loaded. Low water levels measured there can severely restrict inland shipping. The facility is operating at a reduced capacity and officials are monitoring whether it may need to be taken offline completely. The drought of the Danube is also causing serious disruption to power supplies in Serbia and Romania.