Gauge Deggendorf is on the Danube at kilometre 2284, on the km 2290–2282 stretch. The RNW is 210 cm and the fairway depth maintained below it (TuRNW) is 200 cm; after deducting 30 cm of safety margin the official rule of thumb comes out at Deggendorf -40. In practice Deggendorf -40 is used here. This gauge has one forecast source: the 2-day forecast from Elwis (green). Upstream lies Pfelling, downstream Hofkirchen.
Leightering on the Danube (Straubing–Vilshofen)
Because the last 70‑km bottleneck between Straubing and Vilshofen on the Danube was never upgraded, a 250 cm loading draft is possible there on average only ~144 days per year. By contrast, the Rhine at Kaub allows this about ~300 days per year, as does the free‑flowing Austrian Danube. As a result, ships often arrive with too much draft and must transship part of the cargo in Regensburg (downstream) or Passau (upstream) onto additional vessels ("leightering") to reduce draft and pass this stretch. Afterwards, the cargo is often reloaded, or—if the destination is near Passau/Regensburg (e.g., Enns or Kelheim)—they proceed together to the discharge port.