Real Assets
Visualizing the Rhine River’s Shrinking Water Levels
Visualizing the Rhine River Water Levels Over the Last 20 Years
Water levels on the Rhine river in Germany continue to sink amid severe drought, forcing companies to seek alternatives for the freight they send up and down Europe’s second-largest river.
This graphic uses data from the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV) compiled by Olivier Lejeune to show 20 years of water levels at one notorious shallow point at Kaub, between Mainz and Koblenz.
How Important is the Rhine?
Around 195 million tons of cargo are shipped on German rivers each year—mostly on the Rhine.
Flowing from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea, the Rhine links German and Swiss industries with the Dutch city of Rotterdam, Europe’s biggest port. Its role in the continent’s economy traces back to the Roman Empire and early medieval trade.
The Rhine river is an important shipping route for many products like coal, gasoline, heating oil, chemicals, car parts, food, and thousands of other goods. However, when water levels drop, cargo vessels need to sail with a reduced load, so they don’t run aground.
Rhine Water Levels at Kaub
| Date | 💧 Lowest water level (cm) |
|---|---|
| 9/20/2002 | 153 |
| 9/28/2003 | 35 |
| 12/17/2004 | 94 |
| 12/3/2005 | 58 |
| 2/15/2006 | 58 |
| 11/7/2007 | 89 |
| 10/16/2008 | 115 |
| 10/5/2009 | 55 |
| 11/6/2010 | 122 |
| 11/30/2011 | 48 |
| 8/21/2012 | 118 |
| 9/7/2013 | 113 |
| 6/25/2014 | 111 |
| 11/14/2015 | 54 |
| 12/31/2016 | 122 |
| 1/9/2017 | 51 |
| 10/22/2018 | 25 |
| 9/23/2019 | 99 |
| 9/23/2020 | 78 |
| 11/1/2021 | 72 |
| 8/15/2022 | 32 |
In 2018, the Rhine waterway was shut for goods transport for a total of 132 days due to severe drought.
Due to an unusually hot and dry summer in Europe, the low water levels are emerging earlier than usual, with the lowest water levels typically recorded in September or October. Water levels at the chokepoint of Kaub, near Frankfurt, fell to 32 cm in depth on Monday, August 15, 2022.
The European Space Agency captured part of the Rhine River near Cologne – showing the stark difference between August 2021 and August 2022.
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission captured part of the Rhine River near Cologne—showing the stark difference between August 2021 and August 2022.
The low water levels are adding to Europe’s energy crisis, sparked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Barge rates to ship fuel from Rotterdam to Basel, Switzerland, are near an all-time high. The closure of the Rhine could disrupt 400,000 barrels a day of oil-product trade.
The Impact of Climate Change
Effects of climate change are modifying the discharge pattern of the Rhine and its tributaries, according to the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine.
Periods with floods or low flow are expected to become more frequent and more distinct. Floods may be higher and last longer. In addition to navigation issues, the low flow may affect water supply and the quality of groundwater.
Real Assets
How Much Gold is in Fort Knox?
The United States Bullion Depository holds more than half of the Treasury’s $428B in gold reserves.
How Much Gold Is in Fort Knox?
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to visit Fort Knox “to make sure the gold is there.”
Officially, the United States Bullion Depository (commonly known as Fort Knox) holds over half of the Treasury’s $428 billion gold reserves.
In this graphic, we put that amount into perspective by comparing Fort Knox’s reserves with central bank gold reserves worldwide. The data comes from the U.S. Mint and the World Gold Council. For illustrative purposes, we considered a pallet of 1,190 gold bars (400 troy ounces each) weighing approximately 14.8 tonnes.
What Is Fort Knox?
Located in Kentucky, Fort Knox is a U.S. Army installation that serves as the primary storage site for America’s gold reserves. The facility was established in the 1930s to protect gold from potential foreign attacks.
The first gold shipment arrived in 1937 via U.S. Mail from the Philadelphia Mint and the New York Assay Office. During World War II, Fort Knox safeguarded important U.S. documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It has also housed international treasures, such as the Magna Carta and the crown, sword, scepter, orb, and cape of St. Stephen, King of Hungary, before they were returned in 1978.
Currently, it holds 4,175 tonnes of gold, equivalent to nearly half of China’s gold reserves and four times the Swiss central bank’s reserves.
| Reserves | Gold (Tonnes) |
|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 U.S. Reserves | 8,133 |
| 🏛️ Fort Knox | 4,175 |
| 🇨🇳 China | 2,280 |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 846 |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 1,040 |
| 🇮🇳 India | 876 |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 104 |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | 220 |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | 130 |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | 120 |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | 235 |
Only small samples have been removed for purity testing during audits; no major transfers have occurred for years.
Gold Bar Specifications
- Size: 7 inches × 3 5/8 inches × 1 3/4 inches
- Weight: 400 ounces (27.5 pounds)
Extreme Security
Only a select few know the full security procedures, and no single person knows how to fully open the vault.
In 1974, a group of journalists and a Congressional delegation were allowed inside—marking the first official visit since Fort Knox’s creation. Previously, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the only person other than authorized personnel to access the vaults.
In 2017, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, and several Congressional representatives became the second group to visit the vault.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
If gold was shared equally, how much would you get? Check out this graphic to find out.
Real Assets
Charted: Top Suppliers of Aluminum and Steel to the U.S.
President Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports.
Charted: Top U.S. Suppliers of Aluminum and Steel
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, marking one of the most discussed measures of his first month back in the White House.
But which countries are most affected by these tariffs?
This map illustrates the top suppliers of aluminum and steel to the United States in 2024. The data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau. Aluminum includes unwrought aluminum, plates, sheets, and strips; bars, rods, and profiles; foil; wire; pipes and tubes; castings and forgings; and tube or pipe fittings.
Canada: The Largest Partner
Canada is by far the top supplier of both steel and aluminum to the United States. The neighboring country exported $9.4 billion worth of aluminum to the U.S. in 2024, significantly ahead of the second-largest exporter, the European Union, which exported $1.5 billion.
Canada also exported $7.1 billion worth of steel last year, compared to $7 billion from the European Union.
| Country | Steel Imports (USD) | Aluminum Imports (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇦 Canada | $7.1B | $9.4B |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | $3.5B | $397M |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | $3.0B | - |
| 🇨🇳 China | $799M | $809M |
| 🇹🇼 Taiwan | $1.3B | - |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | $2.9B | $781M |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $1.9B | $318M |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | $1.7B | - |
| 🇮🇳 India | $489M | $445M |
| 🇪🇺 European Union | $7B | $1.5B |
| 🇦🇪 UAE | - | $917M |
| 🇧🇭 Bahrain | - | $535M |
| 🇦🇷 Argentina | - | $468M |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | - | $271M |
| 🇬🇧 UK | $440M | - |
Mexico, South Korea, and Brazil are also among the top suppliers of steel to the United States. Meanwhile, the country imports aluminum from other key partners, including China, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Bahrain, and Argentina.
A recent report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) noted that the U.S. produces less than 2% of the world’s primary aluminum.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed this graphic, be sure to check out this chart illustrating the GDP impact of Trump’s tariffs on China.
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