Where exactly was the record-low water level of the Drava recorded?

The most dramatic scenes were recorded in the area near Koprivnica, specifically at the Halasz Csarda picnic area at the confluence of the Mura and Drava rivers, and in the municipality of Legrad.

What is the aquatic plague mentioned in the article?

The aquatic plague is a group of invasive plant species that have appeared due to the low water level and further threaten the plant and animal life in the Drava River.

Who is Vinko Habek and what does he say about the state of the Drava?

Vinko Habek is an employee of the Legrad Municipality and a game warden. He stated that in his lifetime, he has never seen the Drava so low, especially at the confluence, where the water used to be up to three meters deep.

Croatia

I've Lived Here All My Life, but I've Never Seen the Drava This Low!

A.H. · Prije 3h | 2 min

Record-low water levels near Koprivnica have exposed hidden sandbars, and a dangerous aquatic plague has emerged, further threatening river life.

Summary

Record-low water levels in the Drava have exposed parts of the riverbed and sandbars that had been underwater for decades.
At the confluence of the Mura and Drava rivers, the water has completely receded, and the former depth of 2 to 3 meters is now dry land.
The low water level has led to the emergence of invasive aquatic plague, further threatening the river ecosystem.
Game warden Vinko Habek, who has spent his entire life on the Drava, said he has never seen the water this low.

Residents along the Drava River were met with unprecedented scenes. Due to record-low water levels, the stretch from Legrad to the mouth of the Mura River has revealed sandbars and parts of the riverbed that had been hidden underwater for decades. The situation is so dramatic that in some places, like the Halasz Csarda picnic area, the water has completely receded.

On-the-Ground Testimony: 'Apocalyptic Low Water Levels'

Vinko Habek, an employee of the Legrad Municipality and a game warden who has spent his entire life on the Drava, does not hide his astonishment. "I've literally spent my whole life on the Drava, on the water, but the water has never been this low, especially at the confluence. Everything is starting to overgrow, you can see how much water is missing, not to mention what such low water levels do to the fish," Habek told Danas.net.hr.

Habek also showed a spot where the water used to be significantly deeper. "We're currently at the former confluence of the Mura and Drava rivers, where the water used to be well above my head. The depth was two to three meters, and now we can see where we are after this apocalyptic low water level of the Drava," he added.

A New Problem: Invasive Aquatic Plague

The receding water is not just an aesthetic shock; it has also given rise to a concrete ecological threat. On the dried-out parts of the riverbed, the so-called aquatic plague is becoming increasingly visible-a group of invasive plant species that further endanger the river's already compromised flora and fauna.

"This used to be the middle of the Drava's riverbed. Now, with the low water level, a new problem has emerged: the aquatic plague. You can see for yourself that this is also a problem on the Danube. Something should be done," Habek warned. The scenes on the Drava on August 6, 2026, clearly show the extent of the drought and heatwave that has hit the area, revealing a worrying picture of the river that locals cannot remember.