Water level at Kaub to fall to 33-centimeter marker by Aug. 15 River closure could significantly dent oil-product trade: FGE An exposed section of the Rhine River riverbed, due to low water levels opposite the Duisburg-Walsum power plant, in Duisburg, on Aug. 10. Photographer: Ben Kilb/Bloomberg The Rhine River is set to drop well below a critical depth over the weekend, signaling further turmoil for shipments of energy supplies on one of Europe’s most vital waterways. Water levels at Kaub, a key waypoint west of Frankfurt, are poised to plunge to 33 centimeters (13 inches) by Aug. 15, according to data from to the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration. Below the 40 centimeter mark, most barges hauling goods from diesel to coal are effectively unable to transit the river. The climate crisis is compounding Europe’s worst energy-supply crunch in decades. Futures for power, natural gas and coal have […]