Water of Lake Geneva never so warm
Published: Monday, Feb 12th 2024, 12:30
Zurück zu Live Feed
Lake Geneva is getting warmer and warmer. This alarming finding emerges from a report published on Monday by the International Commission for the Protection of the Waters of Lake Geneva (CIPEL).
Since 2012, the temperature at the bottom of Lake Geneva has risen by one degree. This is considerable, noted Nicole Gallina, Secretary General of CIPEL. At the surface, the average water temperature reached 13.6 degrees in 2022, which corresponds to an increase of 1.2 degrees within thirty years.
2022 was characterized by record heat. The year also saw low levels of precipitation and high levels of solar radiation. These conditions meant that the temperature of the lake's surface layer between zero and ten meters constantly exceeded the monthly norms.
The rarity of harsh winters with windy episodes prevented the water of Lake Geneva from mixing completely. This impeded the oxygen supply to the deeper layers of the lake. Today, there is no longer enough oxygen in the depths to allow the presence of living organisms, Gallina noted.
Disrupted food chain
Due to the lack of mixing, the nutrients that are essential for the development of phytoplankton accumulate at depth. However, phytoplankton is the basis of the food chain, explains the Secretary General of CIPEL. The biodiversity of the lake is therefore at risk.
According to the scientific report, water quality will also suffer as a result of global warming. Lake Geneva is a source of drinking water for a catchment area of one million inhabitants. If the water is no longer drinkable, it will have to be treated and will become more expensive to consume.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Alpine lakes are more vulnerable to climate change than other bodies of water. They are warming four to five times faster than the oceans. At the current rate, the temperature of their waters could rise by 3.8 degrees by the end of the century.
Lake Geneva is an oasis of refreshment, explained Gallina. The appearance of invasive species and the deterioration in water quality could lead to it losing this function. Swimming could become problematic and professional fishing could also suffer greatly.
©Keystone/SDA
German 
English 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic