---
title: "Dnister Sets Historical Low-Water Record: Flow Rate in Zaleschychky Drops Below 1895 Levels"
description: "A historical record low has been recorded on the Dnister near Zaleschychky: the water flow rate dropped to 24 m³/s — below the minimum levels of the 131-year observation period. Hydrologists warn of further water level declines through 31 August."
date: 2026-08-28T11:50:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/dnister-historical-low-water-record-zaleschychky
tags: [dnister-river, hydrological-drought, western-ukraine, water-crisis, chernivtsi, ternopil, moldova, climate]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Dnister Sets Historical Low-Water Record: Flow Rate in Zaleschychky Drops Below 1895 Levels

![Rescuers in life jackets working in the shallow Dniester River near Zaleshchychy amid a historically low water level](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/28/dnistr-istoricheskij-antirekord-rashod-vody-zaleshchiky/dnistr-istoricheskij-antirekord-rashod-vody-zaleshchiky-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The water flow rate on the Dnister at Zaleschychky on 28 August 2026 was 24 m³/s — a historical daily minimum over the 131-year observation period
- A record low inflow of 30 m³/s was recorded at the Dnister Reservoir
- Further water level declines are forecast through 31 August, with a complete absence of flow on small rivers
- Moldova began drawing on its strategic water reserve due to the shallowing of the Dnister

A historical record low in water flow has been recorded on the Dnister River in western regions of Ukraine. According to detailed measurements carried out on 27 August 2026 by specialists from the Ternopil and Chernivtsi regional hydroметеороlogy centers in the area of the town of Zaleschychky, the water flow rate was 23.7 m³/s. The very next day, on 28 August, the daily flow rate at the Zaleschychky hydrological station cross-section reached 24 m³/s, corresponding to just 12% of the standard value. As emphasized by the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, the recorded figure is lower than the historical minimum levels over the entire observation period, which has been ongoing since 1895 — that is, over the past 131 years.

### Active Phase of Hydrological Drought

The Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center (UkrGMC) confirmed that the active phase of hydrological drought continues on the Dnister. According to experts, on 27 August 2026 a record low in water inflow to the Dnister Reservoir was once again recorded — 30 m³/s. The press service of the Chernivtsi regional hydroметеороlogy center had earlier issued a warning about extreme hydrological phenomena: by 31 August, water levels in the Dnister basin are expected to fall further to the lowest values over the long-term observation period. On some stretches of small rivers, a complete absence of flow is forecast, which, according to hydrologists, will complicate the operation of the region's water management complex. The danger level is designated as "brown."

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Dnister Sets Historical Low-Water Record: What Is Happening on the River and What the Danger Is](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/dnister-vstanoviv-istorichniy-antirekord-1787917073.html) - Основной источник фактов: значения расходов воды, даты измерений, цитаты УкрГМЦ и облцентров, предупреждение до 31 августа, уровень опасности.
- [Moldova Began Using Its Strategic Water Reserve Due to the Shallowing of the Dnister](https://tass.ru/ekonomika/27986025) - Подтверждает трансграничный характер кризиса и использование стратегического запаса в Молдавии.
- [The Dnister Is Running Low](https://argumenti.ru/world/dnestr-na-meli-1004547) - Дополнительный контекст об обмелении Днестра.
- [Moldova Reports on the Use of Its Strategic Water Reserve from the Dnister](https://www.mk.ru/politics/2026/08/05/v-moldavii-soobshhili-o-raskhode-strategicheskogo-zapasa-vody-iz-dnestra.html) - Датировано 05.08.2026 — подтверждает начало расходования запаса в начале августа, что согласуется с нарастанием кризиса.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What exactly is the record low set on the Dnister on 28 August 2026?
**A:** The daily water flow rate at the Zaleschychky hydrological station cross-section reached 24 m³/s (12% of the norm), which is a historical daily minimum over the entire observation period since 1895.

### Q: What will happen to the water level on the Dnister by the end of August?
**A:** According to the warning from the Chernivtsi regional hydroметеороlogy center, water levels will continue to fall through 31 August to the lowest long-term values. A complete absence of flow is possible on the small rivers of the basin.

### Q: Why has the Dnister become so shallow?
**A:** The causes are the weak spring flood of 2026 and the subsequent weather conditions that did not allow the water balance to be restored. Hydrologists classify the situation as the active phase of hydrological drought.

### Q: How does the situation with the Dnister affect neighboring countries?
**A:** In early August 2026, Moldova began using its strategic water reserve due to the critical shallowing of the river, confirming the transboundary nature of the hydrological crisis in the Dnister basin.