Vienna, 29 May 2026

Austria's groundwater levels have plummeted to record lows, with 86% of measuring stations across the country showing low or very low levels, according to data from Greenpeace.

The data, which was collected from 224 groundwater measuring stations, shows that the situation is particularly dire in Upper Austria, where 46% of measuring stations have recorded their lowest levels ever.

In Salzburg, three-quarters of the measuring stations have recorded new record lows, while in Carinthia, every single measuring station is showing low or very low water levels.

Regional Variations

The crisis has been exacerbated by a lack of precipitation, with the previous year seeing nine out of twelve months with too little rainfall.

The just-ending May was also 30% too dry, according to Greenpeace, which has called on Water Minister Norbert Totschnig to rapidly implement a water withdrawal register.