{"id":2119364,"date":"2026-08-27T09:38:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T06:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2119364"},"modified":"2026-08-27T09:38:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T06:38:15","slug":"dailydrone-lake-constance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2119364","title":{"rendered":"#DailyDrone: Lake Constance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76813071_6.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"sk6xmai\">\n<div class=\"content-area sa7l9jt s9mg977\">\n<section data-tracking-name=\"sharing-icons-inline\" class=\"c75t7t0 hh5424a in-line closed\">\n<div class=\"copy-button-wrapper closed\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5JD67<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"s4bcs45\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76813071_800.webp 50w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76813071_801.webp 129w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76813071_802.webp 352w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76813071_803.webp 575w\" media=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 575px)\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" \/><figcaption class=\"c1oedowi m1ho1h07 lofg86o blt0baw rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b16w0xvi\">The Caspian Sea is under enormous pressure<small class=\"copyright c19ed66t icns9en idu7i8u lxmvniw m4xla6a rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b16w0xvi\">Image: Hossein Beris\/Middle East Images\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text t1fzgn0z l1evdo4u blt0baw rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b16w0xvi\">\n<p>Some of the world&#8217;s largest lakes could shrink substantially within this century, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and roughly a\u00a0quarter of the global population living in affected regions.<\/p>\n<p>Although restoration efforts have proved successful\u00a0in some cases, many inland bodies of water face extreme challenges.<\/p>\n<h2>Caspian Sea: A shrinking giant<\/h2>\n<p>Despite its name, the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/the-sea-that-is-vanishing-in-real-time\/a-76813409\">Caspian Sea is actually a lake.<\/a>\u00a0Bordered by\u00a0Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, it is the largest inland <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/water\/t-43474101\">water<\/a>\u00a0body on Earth.\u00a0But its\u00a0surface area has been rapidly receding since the 1990s.<\/p>\n<p>This shift is partly\u00a0due to the use of\u00a0dams and water-management practices in the Volga River basin. But hotter conditions\u00a0driven by burning fossil fuels to power societies\u00a0is also a contributing factor. Rising temperatures increase evaporation rates.<\/p>\n<p>Scientific models project that <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/water-scarcity\/t-64796789\">water levels could fall<\/a>\u00a0up to 21 meters (68 feet) by 2100. Even a decline of 10 meters could leave large parts of the shallow northern basin dry, eliminating nearly one-third of the lake&#8217;s current surface area.<\/p>\n<p>The consequences are already becoming apparent. Ports require increasingly extensive dredging, fish stocks and wetlands are coming under growing pressure\u00a0and habitats used by the endangered Caspian seal are drying out.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists also warn that exposed lakebeds could release <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/california-salton-sea-health-risks\/a-77864212\">dust and pollutants<\/a>. Joint conservation efforts among the five coastal states remain politically challenging.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76618454\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76618454_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Aerial view of the harbour area with a ferry on Lake Constance; a picturesque harbour entrance with the vast blue lake behind it, Thurgau, Switzerland\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">The water quality in Lake Constance has improved considerably, but evaporation driven by high temperatures poses a threat<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Markus Keller\/imageBROKER\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Lake Constance: A pollution\u00a0turnaround<\/h2>\n<p>Like much of Europe, Lake Constance has been impacted by high temperatures this summer. Bordered by Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the 63-kilometer-long (39-mile-long) lake has experienced\u00a0high evaporation rates that have caused water levels to fall significantly in some places.<\/p>\n<p>In the late 1970s, however, low water levels were not the main concern. At the time, the lake was suffering from severe nutrient\u00a0<a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/pollution\/t-19225773\">pollution<\/a>\u00a0and was at risk of ecological collapse. Massive algal blooms and oxygen depletion in deeper waters threatened fish populations and led to swimming bans.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0expansion of wastewater treatment facilities and removal of phosphorus from sewage significantly reduced nutrient concentrations, led to the stabilization of lake trout,\u00a0which had been at risk of disappearing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 #DailyDrone: Lake Constance\" class=\"headline\">#DailyDrone: Lake Constance<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-19544853\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"19544853\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/19544067_605.webp\" data-duration=\"00:50\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/dwtv_video\/flv\/dg\/dg20160912_drohne_bodensee_,sd_sor,sd_avc,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<p>Local communities also benefited.\u00a0Around 4 million people in the southern German state of Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg rely on Lake Constance for their drinking water.<\/p>\n<p>Yet the ecosystem is far from fully restored. Shoreline development, invasive species and climate change continue to pose major challenges. Restoring more of the lake&#8217;s natural shoreline could help <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/can-we-still-survive-without-ac-climate-adaptation-solutions-kiel-germany\/a-78278373\">strengthen its resilience<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Aral Sea: A disaster with glimmers of hope\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>The <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/the-aral-sea-from-lake-to-desert-to-forest\/a-70987224\">Aral Sea in Central Asia<\/a> has become one of the defining examples of how water extraction can devastate even the world&#8217;s largest lakes. Only a few decades ago, it was the fourth-largest lake on Earth.<\/p>\n<p>During the Soviet era, vast amounts of water were diverted to irrigate cotton and rice fields, creating an environmental catastrophe whose effects continue today. By 2010, the surface area had shrunk\u00a0<span xml:lang=\"EN-US\">by more than 50,000 square kilometers<\/span>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"70997241\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/70997241_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"In the background, an old industrial site; in the foreground, an old boat. There is no water; everything lies on the dry grass, Uzbekistan.\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Where once there was water, vegetation has taken over. Water was already being diverted for agriculture and industry back in the Soviet era<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Ekaterina Venkina\/DW<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Thirty fish species that once supported commercial operations have disappeared, and entire communities along the former shoreline have vanished with them. The Aralkum Desert has emerged where the water once shimmered, covering roughly 62,000 square kilometers.<\/p>\n<p>Today, dust and sandstorms carry salt and toxic residues from the former lakebed across surrounding regions, posing serious risks to human health.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"70874719\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/70874719_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"The dry Aral Sea region in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, bushes are being planet in sand desert.\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Land that was previously submerged has been given over to desert shrubs that trap dust and toxins and retain moisture in the soil<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Ekaterina Venkina\/DW<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But the North Aral Sea has benefited from\u00a0the Kok-Aral Dam, which\u00a0raised water levels. Where a return of the lake is considered unrealistic, saxaul shrubs are being planted to stabilize the sand and contaminated dust. According to the Kazakh government, more than 1.8 million hectares have been planted since 2018.<\/p>\n<h2>Muskegon Lake: The big clean up<\/h2>\n<p>For decades, Muskegon Lake in the US state of Michigan was polluted by industrial waste and contaminated sediments.<\/p>\n<p>Extensive clean-up efforts by local\u00a0<a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/environment\/t-18971817\">environmental authorities<\/a> removed contaminated soil and more than 110,000 tons of historic sawmill waste. As a result, 54 hectares of habitat along the shoreline and in surrounding areas were restored.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"78459474\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/78459474_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Muskegon South Breakwater Light, Lake Michigan\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Muskegon is an example of how ecosystems and the economy can benefit from sustainable policies and clean-ups<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Wirestock\/Pond5 Images\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In 2025, authorities finally removed Muskegon from the list of severely degraded lakes.<\/p>\n<p>According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the restoration efforts now generate an estimated $28 million (\u20ac23 million) in additional recreational value annually and attract roughly 500,000 extra visitors each year.<\/p>\n<p>However, the lake is not entirely free of pollution. Authorities continue to warn against eating certain fish species because contaminant levels remain too high.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"78459580\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/78459580_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Small boats in a harbor at sunset, Muskegon Lake, US\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Today the lake is a hotspot for tourists and has become important for recreational timeout in the region<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Wirestock\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Lake Chad: A\u00a0region fighting for survival<\/h2>\n<p>The vast Sahel forms the transition zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the African savannas to the south. Stretching across the continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, it is home to one of Africa&#8217;s most distinctive ecosystems: Lake Chad.<\/p>\n<p>Shaped by sand, wind and harsh environmental conditions, the wetland ecosystem is a critical source of water for people and wildlife and supports livelihoods across the region.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"74883951\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/74883951_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"A green oasis in the desert; people riding donkeys through the sand, Chad\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Water levels in the Lake Chad wetlands fluctuate significantly <small class=\"copyright\">Image: Joris Bolomey\/AFP<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the 1960s, during periods of high water, Lake Chad covered up to around 25,000 square kilometers, slightly more than the area of New Jersey. <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/heat-and-drought\/t-19024671\">During severe droughts<\/a> in the 1970s and 1980s, it temporarily lost more than 90% of that area.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, the lake has partially recovered. Its size now fluctuates considerably depending on rainfall and the season\u00a0\u2014\u00a0ranging from roughly 12,000 to 20,000 square kilometers.<\/p>\n<p>Climate change, irrigation and deforestation continue to put pressure on the lake. According to aid organizations, its decline has contributed to a wider ecological crisis across the region and threatens the food security of millions of people.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"77057905\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/77057905_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Aerial view of Lake Chad: the orange and blue colors of dawn illuminate the shore and are reflected on the water\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Lake Chad is the lifeline for many millions of people in the region. It has recovered to some degree, but still faces challenges<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Michael Runkel\/robertharding\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Some 30 million people depend on the resources of the Lake Chad basin.\u00a0Hundreds of bird species migrate from Europe and Asia to Africa each winter, and many use Lake Chad as an important stopover site.<\/p>\n<p>Some waterways previously blocked by dams have been reopened. In May, the African Development Bank, the Lake Chad Basin Commission and five neighboring countries launched investment projects worth $10 million. The funding is intended to help preserve the lake both as a habitat and an economic lifeline for the region.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article was originally published in German.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text t1fzgn0z l1evdo4u blt0baw rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b16w0xvi\">\n<p>Some of the world&#8217;s largest lakes could shrink substantially within this century, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and roughly a\u00a0quarter of the global population living in affected regions.<\/p>\n<p>Although restoration efforts have proved successful\u00a0in some cases, many inland bodies of water face extreme challenges.<\/p>\n<h2>Caspian Sea: A shrinking giant<\/h2>\n<p>Despite its name, the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/the-sea-that-is-vanishing-in-real-time\/a-76813409\">Caspian Sea is actually a lake.<\/a>\u00a0Bordered by\u00a0Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, it is the largest inland <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/water\/t-43474101\">water<\/a>\u00a0body on Earth.\u00a0But its\u00a0surface area has been rapidly receding since the 1990s.<\/p>\n<p>This shift is partly\u00a0due to the use of\u00a0dams and water-management practices in the Volga River basin. But hotter conditions\u00a0driven by burning fossil fuels to power societies\u00a0is also a contributing factor. Rising temperatures increase evaporation rates.<\/p>\n<p>Scientific models project that <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/water-scarcity\/t-64796789\">water levels could fall<\/a>\u00a0up to 21 meters (68 feet) by 2100. Even a decline of 10 meters could leave large parts of the shallow northern basin dry, eliminating nearly one-third of the lake&#8217;s current surface area.<\/p>\n<p>The consequences are already becoming apparent. Ports require increasingly extensive dredging, fish stocks and wetlands are coming under growing pressure\u00a0and habitats used by the endangered Caspian seal are drying out.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists also warn that exposed lakebeds could release <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/california-salton-sea-health-risks\/a-77864212\">dust and pollutants<\/a>. Joint conservation efforts among the five coastal states remain politically challenging.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76618454\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76618454_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Aerial view of the harbour area with a ferry on Lake Constance; a picturesque harbour entrance with the vast blue lake behind it, Thurgau, Switzerland\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">The water quality in Lake Constance has improved considerably, but evaporation driven by high temperatures poses a threat<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Markus Keller\/imageBROKER\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Lake Constance: A pollution\u00a0turnaround<\/h2>\n<p>Like much of Europe, Lake Constance has been impacted by high temperatures this summer. Bordered by Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the 63-kilometer-long (39-mile-long) lake has experienced\u00a0high evaporation rates that have caused water levels to fall significantly in some places.<\/p>\n<p>In the late 1970s, however, low water levels were not the main concern. At the time, the lake was suffering from severe nutrient\u00a0<a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/pollution\/t-19225773\">pollution<\/a>\u00a0and was at risk of ecological collapse. Massive algal blooms and oxygen depletion in deeper waters threatened fish populations and led to swimming bans.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0expansion of wastewater treatment facilities and removal of phosphorus from sewage significantly reduced nutrient concentrations, led to the stabilization of lake trout,\u00a0which had been at risk of disappearing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 #DailyDrone: Lake Constance\" class=\"headline\">#DailyDrone: Lake Constance<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-19544853\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"19544853\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/19544067_605.webp\" data-duration=\"00:50\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/dwtv_video\/flv\/dg\/dg20160912_drohne_bodensee_,sd_sor,sd_avc,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<p>Local communities also benefited.\u00a0Around 4 million people in the southern German state of Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg rely on Lake Constance for their drinking water.<\/p>\n<p>Yet the ecosystem is far from fully restored. Shoreline development, invasive species and climate change continue to pose major challenges. Restoring more of the lake&#8217;s natural shoreline could help <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/can-we-still-survive-without-ac-climate-adaptation-solutions-kiel-germany\/a-78278373\">strengthen its resilience<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Aral Sea: A disaster with glimmers of hope\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>The <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/the-aral-sea-from-lake-to-desert-to-forest\/a-70987224\">Aral Sea in Central Asia<\/a> has become one of the defining examples of how water extraction can devastate even the world&#8217;s largest lakes. Only a few decades ago, it was the fourth-largest lake on Earth.<\/p>\n<p>During the Soviet era, vast amounts of water were diverted to irrigate cotton and rice fields, creating an environmental catastrophe whose effects continue today. By 2010, the surface area had shrunk\u00a0<span xml:lang=\"EN-US\">by more than 50,000 square kilometers<\/span>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"70997241\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/70997241_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"In the background, an old industrial site; in the foreground, an old boat. There is no water; everything lies on the dry grass, Uzbekistan.\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Where once there was water, vegetation has taken over. Water was already being diverted for agriculture and industry back in the Soviet era<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Ekaterina Venkina\/DW<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Thirty fish species that once supported commercial operations have disappeared, and entire communities along the former shoreline have vanished with them. The Aralkum Desert has emerged where the water once shimmered, covering roughly 62,000 square kilometers.<\/p>\n<p>Today, dust and sandstorms carry salt and toxic residues from the former lakebed across surrounding regions, posing serious risks to human health.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"70874719\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/70874719_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"The dry Aral Sea region in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, bushes are being planet in sand desert.\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Land that was previously submerged has been given over to desert shrubs that trap dust and toxins and retain moisture in the soil<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Ekaterina Venkina\/DW<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But the North Aral Sea has benefited from\u00a0the Kok-Aral Dam, which\u00a0raised water levels. Where a return of the lake is considered unrealistic, saxaul shrubs are being planted to stabilize the sand and contaminated dust. According to the Kazakh government, more than 1.8 million hectares have been planted since 2018.<\/p>\n<h2>Muskegon Lake: The big clean up<\/h2>\n<p>For decades, Muskegon Lake in the US state of Michigan was polluted by industrial waste and contaminated sediments.<\/p>\n<p>Extensive clean-up efforts by local\u00a0<a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/environment\/t-18971817\">environmental authorities<\/a> removed contaminated soil and more than 110,000 tons of historic sawmill waste. As a result, 54 hectares of habitat along the shoreline and in surrounding areas were restored.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"78459474\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/78459474_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Muskegon South Breakwater Light, Lake Michigan\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Muskegon is an example of how ecosystems and the economy can benefit from sustainable policies and clean-ups<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Wirestock\/Pond5 Images\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In 2025, authorities finally removed Muskegon from the list of severely degraded lakes.<\/p>\n<p>According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the restoration efforts now generate an estimated $28 million (\u20ac23 million) in additional recreational value annually and attract roughly 500,000 extra visitors each year.<\/p>\n<p>However, the lake is not entirely free of pollution. Authorities continue to warn against eating certain fish species because contaminant levels remain too high.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"78459580\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/78459580_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Small boats in a harbor at sunset, Muskegon Lake, US\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Today the lake is a hotspot for tourists and has become important for recreational timeout in the region<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Wirestock\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Lake Chad: A\u00a0region fighting for survival<\/h2>\n<p>The vast Sahel forms the transition zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the African savannas to the south. Stretching across the continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, it is home to one of Africa&#8217;s most distinctive ecosystems: Lake Chad.<\/p>\n<p>Shaped by sand, wind and harsh environmental conditions, the wetland ecosystem is a critical source of water for people and wildlife and supports livelihoods across the region.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"74883951\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/74883951_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"A green oasis in the desert; people riding donkeys through the sand, Chad\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Water levels in the Lake Chad wetlands fluctuate significantly <small class=\"copyright\">Image: Joris Bolomey\/AFP<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the 1960s, during periods of high water, Lake Chad covered up to around 25,000 square kilometers, slightly more than the area of New Jersey. <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/heat-and-drought\/t-19024671\">During severe droughts<\/a> in the 1970s and 1980s, it temporarily lost more than 90% of that area.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, the lake has partially recovered. Its size now fluctuates considerably depending on rainfall and the season\u00a0\u2014\u00a0ranging from roughly 12,000 to 20,000 square kilometers.<\/p>\n<p>Climate change, irrigation and deforestation continue to put pressure on the lake. According to aid organizations, its decline has contributed to a wider ecological crisis across the region and threatens the food security of millions of people.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"77057905\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/77057905_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Aerial view of Lake Chad: the orange and blue colors of dawn illuminate the shore and are reflected on the water\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Lake Chad is the lifeline for many millions of people in the region. It has recovered to some degree, but still faces challenges<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Michael Runkel\/robertharding\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Some 30 million people depend on the resources of the Lake Chad basin.\u00a0Hundreds of bird species migrate from Europe and Asia to Africa each winter, and many use Lake Chad as an important stopover site.<\/p>\n<p>Some waterways previously blocked by dams have been reopened. In May, the African Development Bank, the Lake Chad Basin Commission and five neighboring countries launched investment projects worth $10 million. The funding is intended to help preserve the lake both as a habitat and an economic lifeline for the region.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article was originally published in German.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Some of the world&#8217;s largest lakes could shrink substantially within this century, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and roughly a\u00a0quarter of the global population living in affected regions.<\/p>\n<p>Although restoration efforts have proved successful\u00a0in some cases, many inland bodies of water face extreme challenges.<\/p>\n<p>Despite its name, the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/the-sea-that-is-vanishing-in-real-time\/a-76813409\">Caspian Sea is actually a lake.<\/a>\u00a0Bordered by\u00a0Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, it is the largest inland <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/water\/t-43474101\">water<\/a>\u00a0body on Earth.\u00a0But its\u00a0surface area has been rapidly receding since the 1990s.<\/p>\n<p>This shift is partly\u00a0due to the use of\u00a0dams and water-management practices in the Volga River basin. But hotter conditions\u00a0driven by burning fossil fuels to power societies\u00a0is also a contributing factor. Rising temperatures increase evaporation rates.<\/p>\n<p>Scientific models project that <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/water-scarcity\/t-64796789\">water levels could fall<\/a>\u00a0up to 21 meters (68 feet) by 2100. Even a decline of 10 meters could leave large parts of the shallow northern basin dry, eliminating nearly one-third of the lake&#8217;s current surface area.<\/p>\n<p>The consequences are already becoming apparent. Ports require increasingly extensive dredging, fish stocks and wetlands are coming under growing pressure\u00a0and habitats used by the endangered Caspian seal are drying out.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists also warn that exposed lakebeds could release <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/california-salton-sea-health-risks\/a-77864212\">dust and pollutants<\/a>. Joint conservation efforts among the five coastal states remain politically challenging.<\/p>\n<p>Like much of Europe, Lake Constance has been impacted by high temperatures this summer. Bordered by Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the 63-kilometer-long (39-mile-long) lake has experienced\u00a0high evaporation rates that have caused water levels to fall significantly in some places.<\/p>\n<p>In the late 1970s, however, low water levels were not the main concern. At the time, the lake was suffering from severe nutrient\u00a0<a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/pollution\/t-19225773\">pollution<\/a>\u00a0and was at risk of ecological collapse. Massive algal blooms and oxygen depletion in deeper waters threatened fish populations and led to swimming bans.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0expansion of wastewater treatment facilities and removal of phosphorus from sewage significantly reduced nutrient concentrations, led to the stabilization of lake trout,\u00a0which had been at risk of disappearing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"vjs-no-js\">To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Local communities also benefited.\u00a0Around 4 million people in the southern German state of Baden-W\u00fcrttemberg rely on Lake Constance for their drinking water.<\/p>\n<p>Yet the ecosystem is far from fully restored. Shoreline development, invasive species and climate change continue to pose major challenges. Restoring more of the lake&#8217;s natural shoreline could help <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/can-we-still-survive-without-ac-climate-adaptation-solutions-kiel-germany\/a-78278373\">strengthen its resilience<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/the-aral-sea-from-lake-to-desert-to-forest\/a-70987224\">Aral Sea in Central Asia<\/a> has become one of the defining examples of how water extraction can devastate even the world&#8217;s largest lakes. Only a few decades ago, it was the fourth-largest lake on Earth.<\/p>\n<p>During the Soviet era, vast amounts of water were diverted to irrigate cotton and rice fields, creating an environmental catastrophe whose effects continue today. By 2010, the surface area had shrunk\u00a0<span xml:lang=\"EN-US\">by more than 50,000 square kilometers<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Thirty fish species that once supported commercial operations have disappeared, and entire communities along the former shoreline have vanished with them. The Aralkum Desert has emerged where the water once shimmered, covering roughly 62,000 square kilometers.<\/p>\n<p>Today, dust and sandstorms carry salt and toxic residues from the former lakebed across surrounding regions, posing serious risks to human health.<\/p>\n<p>But the North Aral Sea has benefited from\u00a0the Kok-Aral Dam, which\u00a0raised water levels. Where a return of the lake is considered unrealistic, saxaul shrubs are being planted to stabilize the sand and contaminated dust. According to the Kazakh government, more than 1.8 million hectares have been planted since 2018.<\/p>\n<p>For decades, Muskegon Lake in the US state of Michigan was polluted by industrial waste and contaminated sediments.<\/p>\n<p>Extensive clean-up efforts by local\u00a0<a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/environment\/t-18971817\">environmental authorities<\/a> removed contaminated soil and more than 110,000 tons of historic sawmill waste. As a result, 54 hectares of habitat along the shoreline and in surrounding areas were restored.<\/p>\n<p>In 2025, authorities finally removed Muskegon from the list of severely degraded lakes.<\/p>\n<p>According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the restoration efforts now generate an estimated $28 million (\u20ac23 million) in additional recreational value annually and attract roughly 500,000 extra visitors each year.<\/p>\n<p>However, the lake is not entirely free of pollution. Authorities continue to warn against eating certain fish species because contaminant levels remain too high.<\/p>\n<p>The vast Sahel forms the transition zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the African savannas to the south. Stretching across the continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, it is home to one of Africa&#8217;s most distinctive ecosystems: Lake Chad.<\/p>\n<p>Shaped by sand, wind and harsh environmental conditions, the wetland ecosystem is a critical source of water for people and wildlife and supports livelihoods across the region.<\/p>\n<p>In the 1960s, during periods of high water, Lake Chad covered up to around 25,000 square kilometers, slightly more than the area of New Jersey. <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/heat-and-drought\/t-19024671\">During severe droughts<\/a> in the 1970s and 1980s, it temporarily lost more than 90% of that area.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, the lake has partially recovered. Its size now fluctuates considerably depending on rainfall and the season\u00a0\u2014\u00a0ranging from roughly 12,000 to 20,000 square kilometers.<\/p>\n<p>Climate change, irrigation and deforestation continue to put pressure on the lake. According to aid organizations, its decline has contributed to a wider ecological crisis across the region and threatens the food security of millions of people.<\/p>\n<p>Some 30 million people depend on the resources of the Lake Chad basin.\u00a0Hundreds of bird species migrate from Europe and Asia to Africa each winter, and many use Lake Chad as an important stopover site.<\/p>\n<p>Some waterways previously blocked by dams have been reopened. In May, the African Development Bank, the Lake Chad Basin Commission and five neighboring countries launched investment projects worth $10 million. The funding is intended to help preserve the lake both as a habitat and an economic lifeline for the region.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article was originally published in German.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/the-great-lake-divide-collapse-vs-comeback\/a-78460263&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76813071_6.jpg&#8221;] https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5JD67 The Caspian Sea is under enormous pressureImage: Hossein Beris\/Middle East Images\/IMAGO Some of the world&#8217;s largest lakes could shrink substantially within this century, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and roughly a\u00a0quarter of the global population living in affected regions. Although restoration efforts have proved successful\u00a0in some cases, many inland bodies of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,74],"class_list":["post-2119364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dw-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2119364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2119364"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2119364\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2119364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2119364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2119364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}