Drought threatens irrigation in northern Italy
Water reserves are being depleted rapidly in northern Italy, threatening farming as the region's main river dries up, local officials warned Friday.
The Po River District Basin Authority (ADBPO) said the situation was "extremely critical" and available stocks in the river basin would be exhausted in 10 days at the current irrigation rate if there was no rainfall.
As a result of the reduced flow rate in the Po River delta, salt water from the Adriatic Sea is pushing 20 to 25 kilometers (12.5 to 15.5 miles) upstream, partly preventing the irrigation of fields.
The authority also said the ecosystem could be affected.
The Veneto region in northeastern Italy, where the Po flows into the Adriatic, declared a state of emergency at the beginning of this month because of the drought.
In the northwestern region of Piedmont, where the Po has its source, an emergency meeting has been called for next Monday.
A decision may be taken to increase water releases "in order to maintain the flow in the Po," the ADBPO said.
Piedmont, which borders France, has been one of the regions in Italy worst affected by the heat waves that have hit Europe.
Water levels in major lakes in the region have fallen. Lake Maggiore's fill rate dropped 17% — or 33 centimeters (13 inches) — in the space of a week.
Lake Como fell by 15%, the ADBPO said.
Who's behind this story?
Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →
© 2026 AFP
Citation: Drought threatens irrigation in northern Italy (2026, July 11) retrieved 11 July 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-07-drought-threatens-irrigation-northern-italy.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.