The water level in the Daugava may rise by several meters in the territory of Latvia. The largest floods since April 2013 are expected, but at Jēkabpils, water levels will not rise as high as in the big floods of January this year.
According to the data of the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LVĢMC), the lowest floodplains are currently flooding near Daugava. In the last two weeks, the water level in the Daugava at the border of Latvia and Belarus has risen by 5.5 meters, near Daugavpils - by 4 meters, near Jēkabpils - by 2 meters.
In order to reach the 2013 peak, the water level in Daugavpils still needs to climb by two and a half meters. There is a risk that there will be strong rainfall next week, so the highest water level is likely to be hit in mid-April or in the second half of April.
Daugava hydroelectric power plants are already operating almost at peak capacity, producing significantly more electricity than Latvia consumes. This situation is expected to continue throughout April, and in the first half of this year, the amount of electricity produced in Latvia will be one of the largest in history, according to the electricity transmission company JSC Augstsprieguma tīkls.
In the east of the country, a yellow alert has been issued by the LVGMC on high water levels in rivers and flooding.
