Water crisis in Hungary: drought is worsening, urgent steps are needed

Dramatic decrease in water resources

According to the third National Watershed Management Plan, the quantitative status of surface and groundwater in Hungary is continuously deteriorating. The average water yield of rivers is showing a decreasing trend nationwide, which is most noticeable in the Tisza river basin. Here, the water flow has almost halved in 40 years. The Körösök watershed has seen a 20–40 percent decline, while the Rába, Marcal, and Dráva watersheds have seen a 15 percent decline.

The decline in groundwater resources is particularly severe in the Duna–Tisza sand ridge and in the Nyírség region, where the average annual decline in groundwater levels of 1–5 centimeters threatens drinking water supplies and agriculture. In these areas, most surface water drains away quickly, and infiltration decreases, which exacerbates the effects of drought.

Past and current problems of water management

During the 19th century, Hungary focused on drainage. As a result, vast areas were developed into arable land and settlements, but most of the water passes through the country without being utilized. However, due to climate change, droughts are becoming more frequent, making previous water management practices unsustainable in the long term.

Increasing water scarcity also limits irrigation options. Irrigation is only a partial solution to drought protection, as it cannot be guaranteed in the long term due to the decline in water resources. Instead of the current system, landscape-scale water retention and storage would be needed.