km 229.86Gauge
Stadtbredimus gauge
Luxembourg gauge at the barrage. Current readings from the flood and water-level service inondations.lu.
- Operator
- Administration de la gestion de l'eau
The Moselle
Water levels and gauges
On the Moselle the water level decides more than just draught: it governs the clearance under bridges, the current in the impounded reaches and, beyond a certain point, whether you may navigate at all.
Water levels now
Every Moselle gauge from Apach to Koblenz, straight from PEGELONLINE run by the German waterways administration. Refreshed every 20 minutes.
| km | Gauge | Level | vs. MW | Trend | Situation | Mark I | Mark II | HSW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 241.8 | Perl | 208 cm | −38 cm | falling | low | — | — | — |
| 230.5 | Stadtbredimus upstream | 609 cm* | — | falling | normal | — | — | — |
| 229.44 | Stadtbredimus downstream | 215 cm* | — | falling | normal | 370 cm | 450 cm | 530 cm |
| 222.2 | Wincheringen | 223 cm* | — | falling | normal | — | — | — |
| 213.3 | Grevenmacher upstream | 843 cm* | — | falling | normal | — | — | — |
| 212.5 | Grevenmacher downstream | 213 cm | −17 cm | steady | normal | — | — | 520 cm |
| 196.2 | Trier upstream | 934 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | — |
| 195.3 | Trier downstream | 220 cm | −84 cm | steady | normal | 520 cm | 580 cm | 695 cm |
| 185.94 | Ruwer | 220 cm | −40 cm | steady | normal | — | — | — |
| 171.7 | Mehring AMS | 215 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | — |
| 167.7 | Detzem upstream | 1,118 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | — |
| 165.4 | Detzem downstream | 222 cm* | — | falling | normal | — | — | 705 cm |
| 141.7 | Wintrich upstream | 969 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | — |
| 141.1 | Wintrich downstream | 221 cm* | — | falling | normal | — | — | 675 cm |
| 124.1 | Zeltingen upstream | 823 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | — |
| 123.4 | Zeltingen downstream | 225 cm | −88 cm | falling | low | — | — | 695 cm |
| 103.13 | Enkirch upstream | 972 cm* | — | falling | normal | — | — | — |
| 102.6 | Enkirch downstream | 223 cm* | — | falling | normal | — | — | 780 cm |
| 78.48 | Sankt Aldegund upstream | 922 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | — |
| 78.1 | Sankt Aldegund downstream | 232 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | 775 cm |
| 59.7 | Fankel upstream | 919 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | — |
| 58.9 | Fankel downstream | 220 cm* | — | falling | normal | — | — | 780 cm |
| 51.6 | Cochem | 214 cm | −59 cm | falling | normal | 450 cm | 500 cm | 600 cm |
| 37.47 | Müden upstream | 871 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | — |
| 36.8 | Müden downstream | 220 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | 730 cm |
| 21.04 | Lehmen upstream | 964 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | — |
| 20.37 | Lehmen downstream | 206 cm* | — | rising | normal | — | — | 715 cm |
| 2.11 | Koblenz upstream | 203 cm* | — | steady | normal | — | — | — |
Readings from different gauges are NOT comparable with one another: each gauge has its own zero, and an upstream gauge measures the impounded level above the weir. What compares is the “vs. MW” column — the deviation from that station’s own mean level. Stations marked * carry no reference value — usually upstream gauges at a weir, measuring the impounded level.
Mark I: restrictions on navigation. Mark II: navigation stops. HSW: highest navigable water level. Not every gauge carries all three — an empty cell means none is defined for that station.
Retrieved: 5 Oct 2026, 16:44 · Official WSV reading, reproduced without warranty. ELWIS and the notices to skippers are what count.
The three marks that matter
Mark I
First flood mark. From here restrictions apply: reduced speed, navigation bans in certain areas, stricter reporting duties. For leisure boats this is the point to hold back — the current increases noticeably and debris starts coming down.
Mark II
Second flood mark. Navigation is suspended. Anyone still on the water then has a problem — and not only a legal one. The locks go into flood operation or close entirely.
HNWL
Highest navigable water level. It is the reference for the clearances stated under bridges. If the gauge rises above it, clearance is no longer guaranteed — but by then nobody is navigating anyway.
Low water
The other extreme, increasingly an issue in dry summers. The three-metre fairway depth is a target, not a promise. During sustained low water, loading restrictions apply; for leisure boats drawing under 1.50 m the route generally stays navigable.
Messstellen
Gauges on the Moselle
km 195.30Gauge
Trier gauge
The main reference gauge for the Upper Moselle. At flood mark I navigation is restricted; at mark II it is suspended.
- Highest navigable level
- Highest navigable water level — see ELWIS
- Marks
- Flood mark I: restrictions, mark II: navigation suspended
- Where to check
- Automatic water level announcement by the WSV
Where to find the current data
These are the sources — separate for Luxembourg, Germany and France, because the Moselle passes through three administrations.
| Service | Responsible for | What you find there |
|---|---|---|
| ELWIS | German federal waterways | Gauges, forecasts, notices to skippers, closures, lock operating hours |
| PegelOnline | German gauging stations | Current readings every quarter hour, hydrographs, open data interface |
| inondations.lu | Luxembourg | Water levels and flood forecasts for the Moselle, Sauer, Our and Alzette |
| Vigicrues | France, upper reaches | Flood situation on the French Moselle above Apach |
| WSA Mosel-Saar-Lahn | Moselle waterway | Operating notices, lock closures, construction work |
Practical advice for planning the day
Check three things before casting off: the current level at the nearest gauge, the forecast for the coming forty-eight hours, and the notices to skippers. The last is the most commonly overlooked — a lock closed for maintenance can make a day passage impossible, and that appears nowhere in the gauge reading.
When the water is rising: better into harbour a day early than a day late. The Moselle rises quickly after heavy rain in the catchment, and berths in the sheltered harbours fill up fast.
No need to keep checking
Get an email when a gauge crosses Mark I, Mark II or HSW — including the all-clear, free of charge.