27/07/2026
Badi, Aare, Rhine: summer swimming in the drought summer of 2026
There is this one moment in high summer when Switzerland collectively decides that office, appointments and common sense can wait: the thermometer climbs past thirty degrees and half the town heads for the water, towel tucked under one arm. But this summer is different. In 2026, «Europe's water tower» is running short of water – and that changes the way we swim.
Drought summer 2026: when the water tower runs dry
According to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), a pronounced drought has gripped Switzerland since spring, above all the Mittelland plateau: far less rain than the long-term average, and temperatures frequently above the norm. The consequences are measurable. Many rivers in the Mittelland and the Prealps are carrying low to very low volumes of water – levels that statistically occur only every two to ten years, in places even more rarely. The great rivers Rhine, Aare, Limmat and Reuss are all below average too. How serious things are shows on the water itself: cargo ships on the Rhine can no longer be fully loaded because of the low water.
The lakes tell the same story: Lake Constance has reached its lowest level ever recorded, Lake Zurich its lowest July level since 1951. And at Aefligen, the Emme simply vanished along long stretches in late July – leaving a stony bed with scattered pools in which fish are fighting for survival.
Did you know? At the end of May 2026, the Aare in Bern and the Reuss in Lucerne were already warmer than 20 degrees – for the first time since records began. And in June, according to the FOEN, more than a quarter of all measuring stations reported new all-time water-temperature highs. What feels pleasant when you swim means stress for fish: warm water holds less oxygen.
Swimming the Aare and the Rhine: what changes this summer
The good news first: bathing in the Aare at the Marzili in Bern and swimming the Rhine with a Wickelfisch in Basel are still on – the big rivers carry enough water for swimming. But the drought changes the conditions, and knowing them keeps you safer.
Shallows where there was water last year: low levels bring gravel banks and rocks closer to the surface. The jump that was harmless last summer can end badly this year. So: never dive head-first into the unknown, check the depth first – or simply slip into the water at a marked entry point.
Entry and exit points shift: as the water level drops, gravel banks and currents move with it. Don't rely on last year's memory; rely on the marked spots – and check the current flow and temperature data before your swim, for the Aare for instance with the FOEN or the Aare Guru app.
The basic rules matter more than ever: only get in where you can already see your exit, never swim alone, never on a full stomach or after alcohol – record-warm water changes none of that.
In depth: consideration – the swimming rule of summer 2026
In small and mid-sized streams and rivers, survival is at stake right now for trout and grayling: the remaining cool pools and deep spots are their last refuges. Anyone cooling off precisely there, moving stones or building little dams is literally taking the animals' oxygen away. The canton of St. Gallen is measuring low water at 60 percent of its stations and has temporarily closed individual waters altogether, such as the Aabach in Schmerikon; elsewhere the authorities are netting threatened fish and relocating them. So: respect closures, leave the residual pools to the fish, and cool off in the big rivers, the lakes or the Badi instead. And if you plan a barbecue on the bank: practically all of Switzerland is under high to very high forest-fire danger – check the local fire rules first.
The Badi: the reliable air-conditioning of the Swiss summer
Which brings us to the good old Badi, Switzerland's beloved open-air pool. «Gömmer id Badi?» – shall we go to the pool? – belongs to the Swiss summer like the cervelat to the grill. And in this particular year, the neighbourhood Badi may be the most sensible way to bathe: chlorinated water instead of fish habitat, a diving tower with guaranteed depth, chips at the kiosk included. In a summer in which some municipalities are already calling on people to save water, just one thing applies here too: the shower after your swim can happily stay short.
What no Badi bag should be without
The perfect Badi day lives on the little things. A quick-drying microfibre towel takes up almost no space and is dry again long before the classic terry towel stops sitting damp in your bag. For anyone who wants to follow the river and keep their belongings dry, a waterproof dry bag is worth its weight in gold – phone, keys and wallet drift along unharmed. And because a summer afternoon without a cool drink is only half as good, a compact cooler bag keeps drinks and snacks pleasantly fresh until sunset.
Add good sun protection, a filled water bottle and perhaps a game for the lawn – and the perfect day by the water really needs nothing more.
And where will you jump into the water this summer?
Whether the neighbourhood Badi, a lakeside lido or – with due care – the ride down the Aare: even the drought summer of 2026 holds a slice of summer for everyone; it simply asks for a little more caution than usual. Will you tell us your favourite spot by the water? And if you would like to upgrade your Badi bag: take a look at our range – from the microfibre towel to the cooler bag, you will find the little helpers for big summer days.