Drought as a Challenge for Water Supply, Agriculture and Forests

Water Supply Remains Stable – Preparedness Continues to Be Important

Austria has a secure drinking water supply. A widespread water shortage is not currently expected. Nevertheless, regional and temporary bottlenecks may occur when large numbers of people use significant amounts of water simultaneously during dry periods. Municipalities may therefore impose restrictions when necessary, for example on garden irrigation or filling swimming pools.

Around 92 percent of the population in Austria is supplied through public water systems. Approximately 5,500 water suppliers ensure the provision of drinking water. Austria’s drinking water comes entirely from groundwater and spring water sources. This well-developed supply system is a key pillar of essential public services.

Spring 2026 Was Significantly Too Dry

After a dry winter in 2025/2026, the spring of 2026 to date has also been significantly too dry. In many regions, precipitation was low, and snow levels were below average. In particular, only around 24 millimetres of precipitation were recorded across Austria in April, which corresponds to about one third of the long-term monthly average. For the period from February to April, a precipitation deficit of around 32 percent indicates clearly below-average conditions.

The low precipitation also affected surface waters and groundwater levels. At around 75 percent of monitoring stations, river discharges were in the low to very low range.

Infrastructure and Drinking Water Security Plan Strengthen Supply

To ensure supply remains secure even during dry periods, Austria relies on preventive measures, targeted investments, and monitoring. A key foundation for this is the Drinking Water Security Plan (PDF, 2 MB)(in German only). It provides a tiered system for dealing with potential water shortages and includes measures to ensure the long-term security of drinking water supply. It also outlines strategies for situations in which regional shortages occur during prolonged droughts.

Prevention also means continuously maintaining and expanding infrastructure. In 2025 alone, around 898 million euros in investments were triggered in the municipal water management sector. This included the construction of 330 kilometres of new water pipelines and the rehabilitation of 376 kilometres of existing ones. In addition, 81 new water extraction facilities were built, and 12,760 cubic metres of storage capacity were added to water reservoirs.

Alongside planning and investment, close monitoring of water resources is essential. This is ensured through hydrographic monitoring. The measurement network includes more than 3,800 groundwater monitoring sites across Austria, allowing groundwater levels to be analysed and potential shortages to be detected at an early stage.

To ensure a long‑term and secure water supply in the future and to better assess the impacts of climate change, the Federal Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management is working on introducing a digital register for water extraction. The goal is to gain a better overview of actual water withdrawals and thereby further improve water management planning.

Everyone Can Save Water

In Austria, the average daily household water consumption is around 130 litres per person. Water is also required for the production of food, clothing, and other goods. This so-called “virtual water” amounts to an average of around 4,700 litres per person per day.

A conscious approach to water use is needed in order to avoid peak consumption and relieve supply systems. Simple measures in everyday life already help: taking showers instead of baths, turning off the tap while soaping or brushing teeth, repairing leaking faucets, only running washing machines and dishwashers when fully loaded, or using rainwater in the garden. Choosing regional and seasonal foods and avoiding food waste can also reduce one’s water footprint.

Agriculture Faces Growing Challenges

Prolonged dry spells, exceptional heat and more frequent extreme weather events are posing increasing challenges for agriculture. The first half of 2026 was the second driest across Austria since records began. In Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Salzburg, it was even the driest first half-year on record. High temperatures and increased evaporation are further exacerbating the effects. Plants are suffering from heat stress, growth is being hampered and the risk of yield and quality losses is rising. The situation is particularly dire in grassland areas: in many regions, crop failures of up to 50 per cent are looming. Some farms are already having to draw on their winter fodder reserves, whilst purchasing additional fodder is becoming increasingly difficult due to the widespread drought.

To help farms better cope with dry spells, the Federal Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK) supports investments in on-farm and inter-farm irrigation as part of the CAP Strategic Plan (PDF, 3 MB) (in German only). Funding is provided for irrigation systems as well as measures for water storage, water retention, and water treatment.

Healthy soils also play a key role in this context. They form the basis for food and biomass production, store water, nutrients, and carbon, and filter groundwater. Especially during dry periods, this storage function is crucial: it helps retain water and nutrients in the soil for longer, thereby safeguarding essential conditions for agricultural production. Soil protection contributes to maintaining these soil functions in the long term.

The agri-environmental programme ÖPUL also contributes to this effort. It focuses on measures to improve soil fertility and protect against erosion and drought. These include cover cropping, mulch and no-till farming, as well as organic farming. These practices support humus formation, strengthen soil fertility, and help reduce erosion on arable land.

Drought Puts Pressure on Forests – Bark Beetles and Forest Fires

Our forests perform key functions in the water cycle. On the one hand, they act as natural water filters: forest soils purify infiltrating water and therefore make a significant contribution to safeguarding drinking water quality. On the other hand, forests are important water reservoirs and buffers during precipitation events. The tree canopy intercepts part of the rainfall and delays its impact on the ground. Forest soils absorb water like a sponge and then release it slowly and continuously into groundwater or springs. These functions are particularly valuable during periods of drought, as they help stabilize the water balance.

At the same time, healthy forests themselves require sufficient water. The dry winter of 2025/2026, with around 22 percent less precipitation than the long-term average, has further aggravated the situation. The water balance is particularly critical in spring: if soils are already too dry at the beginning of the growing season, trees come under stress more quickly. This weakens their natural defenses and increases their susceptibility to pests – especially bark beetle infestations. The driest March and April since records began have placed additional pressure on Austria’s forests and created favorable conditions for the spread of bark beetles. Austria’s bark beetle monitoring program already indicates high levels of activity. In 2025, damaged timber accounted for around 33 percent of the total timber harvest. Damage caused by bark beetles represented almost half of the total volume of damaged timber. To prevent further spread, infested trees as well as windthrown timber must be removed as quickly as possible. Active and sustainable forest management is therefore essential to protect forests from further bark beetle infestations while preserving their protective, storage, and filtration functions. Consistent forest monitoring and the targeted use of traps to observe bark beetle development remain important. This enables mass outbreaks to be detected at an early stage and countermeasures to be implemented promptly. Bark beetle monitoring is an essential part of controlling bark beetle infestations. It is carried out by the Austrian Research Centre for Forests and provides continuously updated information on the infestation situation.

As drought conditions intensify, the risk of forest fires also increases. Exceptionally warm and dry weather periods have already led to a critical situation in spring 2026. More than 80 percent of forest fires are caused by human activity. Therefore, awareness-raising, careful handling of fire, and compliance with regional forest fire regulations are key elements of prevention. Active forest management and well-planned forest infrastructure also contribute to forest fire prevention. The “Forest Fire Hotspot” (Brennpunkt Wald) action program, coordinated by the Federal Ministry, combines measures for forest fire prevention, research, awareness-raising, and operational preparedness.

In the long term, a forward-looking transformation toward species-rich and climate-resilient mixed forests is required. Climate-resilient tree species, site-adapted management, and active forest care strengthen forests’ resilience to drought, heat, forest fire risk, and pest infestations. The BMLUK supports this approach through the Forest Fund (Waldfonds) with numerous research projects and forestry measures aimed at establishing stable, diverse, and climate-resilient forests.

Preparedness Is a Shared Responsibility

Drought therefore affects many sectors: water management, agriculture and forestry, as well as people’s daily lives. Although Austria is well positioned in terms of drinking water supply, regional shortages can occur during periods of drought – for example, when particularly large amounts of water are being used at the same time. To ensure that water supply remains secure in the future, reliable infrastructure, coordinated measures, and the responsible use of water are essential.