Weeks of Dry Winter Weather Have Raised Fears That Italy Will Face Another Drought in Rivers

Following last summer's emergency, weeks of dry winter weather have raised fears that Italy will face another drought, with the Alps receiving less than half of their normal snowfall, according to scientists and environmental groups.

The warning comes as Venice, where flooding is normally a major concern, experiences unusually low tides, making it impossible for gondolas, water taxis, and ambulances to navigate some of the city's famous canals.

A combination of factors is being blamed for the problems in Venice, including a lack of rain, a high-pressure system, a full moon, and sea currents.

Venice canals start to run dry

(Photo : MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images)

The Legambiente environmental group said on Monday that Italy's rivers and lakes are severely depleted of water, with the north of the country receiving special attention, as per The Guardian.

According to a statement, the Po, Italy's longest river that flows from the Alps in the north-west to the Adriatic, has 61% less water than usual this time of year.

Italy declared a state of emergency in the areas surrounding the Po River last July, accounting for roughly one-third of the country's agricultural production.

We have a water deficit that has been building up since the winter of 2020-2021, according to climate expert Massimiliano Pasqui of the Italian scientific research institute CNR, as quoted by the daily Corriere della Sera.

Lake Garda in northern Italy has reached record low water levels, allowing access to the lake's small island of San Biagio via an exposed pathway.

For the past 15 days, an anticyclone has dominated the weather in Western Europe, bringing mild temperatures more typical of late spring.

The latest weather forecasts, however, indicate that much-needed precipitation and snow will arrive in the Alps in the coming days.

Also Read: Venice Stops Flooding and Holds Back Sea Waters with Mile-Long Barrier Network

How low is the Po right now?

Even in the height of summer, the waterway is rarely this low, as per EuroNews.

This winter has been dry, warns Stefano Mancuso, Professor of Arboriculture at the University of Florence.

"The situation right now is typical for global warming," he said.

The same amount of rain falls in a year, but it is concentrated in just a few days; it is impossible to imagine that this situation will change.

The Lake Garda and Po River Basin Authority has decided to reduce the flow of water by 5 cubic meters per second.

This should keep the river from drying up in particularly vulnerable areas.

Since the summer of 2022, when Italy experienced record-breaking heat and drought, the river has been flowing at extremely low levels.

It dwindled to the point where the remains of a WWII tank and the ruined walls of a medieval town emerged from the water.

The average flow for June in the past has been 1,805 cubic metres per second.

The flow measured in some parts of the river fell below an average of 145 cubic metres per second in late June 2022.

Seawater rushed upstream, filling the void left by dangerously low water levels.

This saltwater leached into the soil, poisoning parched crops.

The vast flatlands surrounding the Po serve as Italy's breadbasket, with vast fields of wheat and rice.

This land depends on the river for irrigation.

A lack of winter snow, which has forced ski resorts across the continent to close, will almost certainly have an impact on the harvest next summer.

Related article: Venice, on the Road to Doom Due to Overtourism, Climate Change