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Danube · km 495 · BULGARIA

Ruse

Historical Danube levels at Ruse, Bulgaria

LowRising · +6 cm today

−83cmlevel of the day, 5 November 2026▲ +45 cm in 7 days

Gauge zero: 11.80 m (Baltic)

Catchment area: 669,900 km²

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Compared with normal
30 of 30
years had more water on 5 November
Navigation threshold
−135 cm
vs LDC (52 cm)
Forecast peak
−68 cm
Sun 8

Water level (cm)

05/11/2026 07:00 EET

+24h: −76 cm (−87–−71 cm)+48h: −72 cm (−87–−62 cm)+72h: −68 cm (−84–−58 cm)+96h: −68 cm (−84–−58 cm)+120h: −72 cm (−87–−62 cm)
07/10/2026Date10/11/2026
  • Water level (cm)
  • Discharge (m³/s) · right axis
  • Forecast
  • normal for the date (previous years)
  • Forecast range (min–max)
07/10/2026 – 05/11/2026 · 17 days · LDC 52 cm — above the displayed range · HDC 736 cm — above the displayed range · Forecast 05/11/2026· Discharge (m³/s), on the right axis. · Source: national hydrological institutes

Full series: download CSV

On 5 November, the water at Ruse is at −83 cm, 6 cm higher than yesterday. The current level is 135 cm below LDC* and 819 cm below HDC**.

* LDC: Low water level Danube Commission - the minimum acceptable level (52 cm). ** HDC: High water level Danube Commission - the maximum acceptable level (736 cm).

Next 5 days

Forecast for the next 24–120 hours. Glossary

How close the forecast was over the last 90 days, on average: for the next day 5.2 cm · for the second day 7 cm · for the third day 7.8 cm.

The station usually reports every few hours; the latest reading came 18 hours ago. The station usually reports more often.

On the Danube, upstream and downstream

At a glance

At river km 495 on the Danube, the Ruse gauge records the water level (Bulgaria). The Danube level on 5 November 2026 is −83 cm, below the low-water mark. This is 135 cm below the low-water level LDC (52 cm). In a week the level has risen by 45 cm. The official forecast covers 2 days: +24 h: −76 cm (−87 … −71 cm), +48 h: −72 cm (−87 … −62 cm). Compared with the same day over the past 30 years, the level on 5 November 2026 is among the lowest 5% (percentile 0). The station’s record starts in 1941: since then the highest level was 999 cm (15 March 1942) and the lowest −140 cm (20 October 2026). On the Danube, the nearest gauge upstream is Svishtov and downstream Giurgiu. How close the forecast was over the last 90 days, on average: for the next day 5.2 cm · for the second day 7 cm · for the third day 7.8 cm. Readings arrive every few hours; the latest came 18 hours ago. The station usually reports more often.

Frequently searched

What does today's water level mean?
The Danube level on 5 November 2026 is −83 cm, below the low-water mark. This is 135 cm below the low-water level LDC (52 cm). In a week the level has risen by 45 cm. Readings arrive every few hours; the latest came 18 hours ago. The station usually reports more often.

Conditions

Forecast +24 h
−76 cm · +7 cm vs today
Forecast +72 h
−68 cm · +15 cm vs today

Nearby gauges

On the opposite bank (Romania), the same stretch of the river is also measured here: Giurgiu water level (2 km). Upstream on the Danube: Danube water level at Zimnicea (59 km). Downstream on the Danube: Danube river level at Oltenița (65 km).

Station map

Ruse — −83 cmSvishtov — −44 cmGiurgiu — −168 cmBozhichen — 194 cmShirokovo — 47 cmAlexandria — 98 cmKarantsi — 170 cm
Stations on the map: 7

Statistics

Minimum, mean and maximum of the daily levels, with the days spent below LDC or above HDC — useful for navigation, agriculture and flood history.

Download the series (CSV)

Last 30 days

17 station-days with data

Minimum
−140cm20/10/2026
Mean
−125cm
Maximum
−83cm05/11/2026

17 days below LDC0 days above HDC

Last 12 months

298 station-days with data

Minimum
−140cm20/10/2026
Mean
126cm
Maximum
441cm04/03/2026

81 days below LDC0 days above HDC

Whole history (1941–2026)

31,217 station-days with data

Minimum
−140cm20/10/2026
Mean
326cm
Maximum
999cm15/03/1942

1,573 days below LDC620 days above HDC

Record high
999 cm15/03/1942
Record low
−140 cm20/10/2026

By year

By year
YearMinimumMeanMaximumdays below LDCdays above HDCstation-days with data
2026−140120441810242
2025−591224741200365
2024−18251536440366
2023−36317597380365
2022−721424291110365
2021−6251592490365
202022192526160366
2019−43224719620365
2018−41268733700365
201718213506260365
201615291709180366
2015−5260612770365
20148335674905365
20131324720350365
2012−8212529250366
2011−43196602760364
2010204463816015364
200911287615140364
200827245523240365
200728237475140364
200644374908953364
200587395764017364
200420295664120365
2003−731755541040364
20026830751000364
20014829262420364
200022302729140365
19999338570700364
19983831963930364
19975231356400364
19969434963700365
19955530957200364
1994−6249615390364
19931193529190364
1992−55232596690365
199131271625170364
1990−52159360730364
19893925554490364
198834288764716365
19870326717150364
1986−14292653540364
1985−31333750283364
19845029161710365
1983−14244537540364
19828833766300364
1981152410861026364
1980114449858015365
197911440164700364
19788837465500364
19779838573100364
197610633764000365
197514041174003364
197413540971900364
19737930067200364
197212734773400365
19717228160500364
1970214541888093364
19698239981708364
196815834856800365
1967124413767017364
196619547670800364
1965140503818069364
196412034657700365
1963116385868016364
196252378804033364
196140300635140364
196024241456700365
19596833954000364
1958116389751015364
195710337068200364
1956137439784027365
1955292523788020364
1954−16358788164364
1953−1333717210364
19526133065100365
19518737064800364
19504927468010364
194939259591170364
19489638264200365
1947−14282741623364
194637286572120364
194511436069500364
1944161466792016365
19435127073610364
194298460999086364
1941239581815060364

Monthly mean

2025-11: Mean 82 cm (−15–213)8225/112025-12: Mean 195 cm (57–339)19525/122026-01: Mean 148 cm (20–244)14826/012026-02: Mean 311 cm (246–432)31126/022026-03: Mean 257 cm (118–441)25726/032026-04: Mean 284 cm (147–401)28426/042026-05: Mean 96 cm (36–201)9626/052026-06: Mean 72 cm (38–103)7226/062026-07: Mean −47 cm (−88–16)−4726/072026-08: Mean −107 cm (−124–−89)−10726/082026-10: Mean −135 cm (−140–−127)−13526/102026-11: Mean −101 cm (−120–−83)−10126/11

This year against the historical range

IIIIIIIVVVIVIIVIIIIXXXIXII
Minimum–MaximumMean2026The band is the minimum–maximum of previous years for each calendar day; the line is the current year.

The daily series uses the first reading of each day.

Historical Danube levels at Ruse

Historical Danube levels at Ruse
DateWater level (cm)LDC*HDC**
−8352736
−8952736
−10252736
−11352736
−12052736
−12852736
−12752736