The Rhine is a classic example of a “multipurpose” river -- used simultaneously for transportation, for industry and agriculture, for urban drinking and sanitation needs, for hydroelectric production, and for recreation.
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Europe's hot, dry summer means that the water level on the Rhine, Western Europe's most important waterway, is at a record low, making it too shallow for many ships to pass — a problem for a country that depends on the river for 80% of its water freight.
The Basel Rhine Swim is famous worldwide and attracts large numbers of tourists to the border city each year. But even if it's not time for the organized Rhine Swim, you can go for a refreshing dip in the river on hot summer days.
Germany's Rhine river is getting too dry, snarling supply chains and creating more problems for its struggling economy. Water in the river has dropped to “exceptionally low” levels in some areas, disrupting shipping on the country's most important inland waterway, German officials told CNN on Friday.