Czechia is grappling with a serious water crisis. Data from the InterSucho project indicate that more than a third of the country’s territory is experiencing the most severe level of soil drought, and forecasts for the coming days offer little reason for optimism.
Scale of the Problem
According to the latest data from the InterSucho project, run by the Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, more than a third of Czechia is affected by the highest — fifth — degree of soil drought, reaching depths of up to one meter. A further 30 percent of the territory is experiencing the second and third levels of drought severity. In practical terms, this means that nearly two thirds of the country is currently struggling with a more or less serious water deficit in the soil.
The roots of the problem stretch back to the beginning of the year — a warm winter with exceptionally low precipitation contributed to the development of soil drought. It began building in March and deepened sharply in April, as rising temperatures and awakening vegetation started drawing heavily on the remaining moisture in the ground.
Moravia Without Rain
The situation is particularly dire in Moravia, especially in its eastern part, where forecasts suggest that not a single drop of rain may fall over the course of the coming week. Meteorological models predict no significant improvement across the country over the next ten days. Increasingly long and intense dry spells are becoming a troubling norm in this part of Central Europe.
Impact on Agriculture, Forestry, and Fire Safety
The ongoing drought is already causing serious losses in agriculture and forestry. Farmers are raising the alarm about threats to crops that depend on adequate soil moisture during the critical spring growing season. Orchards and winter cereal fields are among those feeling the effects most acutely.
The drought also means a dramatic rise in the risk of wildfires. Parched forest undergrowth and vegetation become highly combustible material, and firefighters across many regions are already on heightened alert.
Broader Context — Europe Is Drying Out
Czechia’s predicament is not an isolated one. As early as the beginning of March, experts warned that drought conditions across Europe would continue to worsen. Climate change is making drought periods longer, more intense, and more widespread across the continent. Landlocked Czechia, situated deep in the heart of Europe far from any sea, is particularly vulnerable to this kind of extreme weather.
The InterSucho project, which monitors drought levels in real time, serves as one of the key early-warning tools for farmers, local governments, and emergency services. Its data are publicly available and regularly updated — and current readings are among the worst recorded in years.
