Hungary spent years draining its waters. Drought is exposing the cost

Low water is reshaping Hungary’s largest regional lakes and exposing the cost of decades of draining wetlands, with Lake Velence hitting record lows amid drought and heat. Fishermen on the lake say navigation has become difficult, with depths around 20 centimeters—far below the 150 centimeters considered optimal for August—and swimming beaches have closed, hitting tourist areas. The broader crisis reflects increasingly severe droughts driven by climate change, but experts say Hungary’s long-standing effort to channel water away from the landscape has made the country more vulnerable. National data says about 99% of Hungary’s land is under severe or extreme drought, and a 2023 Nature study estimates more than 80% loss of historical wetlands.