Drought: Italy's largest lake at its lowest level in 30 years

Between Venice and Milan, Lake Garda “offers postcard landscapes and ideal sailing conditions”.

But that was before.

February 2023, an uninterrupted stream of visitors, on foot or by bicycle, pours down the narrow stone and sand path that has appeared between the shores of Lake Garda and the islet of San Biagio, which has become the symbol of the striking drought northern Italy this winter.

A jewel nestled in the southwest of Lake Garda, the island dotted with cypress trees and desert shores, which was only reachable by boat in the past, attracts entire families who have come to see the damage caused by climate change.

“It's a very beautiful sight, but sad at the same time, because it's due to the drought.

We hope it will be short-lived

,” says Alberto Pampuri, a 62-year-old retiree who came by bike from Brescia, about 40 km from the lake, with his wife and two friends.

This unusual phenomenon is reminiscent of the floating footbridges erected in 2016 by the artist Christo on Lake Iseo.

enthuses Agata Carteri, a 48-year-old teacher.

Shortage of snow on the peaks of the surrounding mountains, absence of rain for six weeks, mild temperatures: this explosive cocktail has lowered the water of the largest lake in Italy to its lowest level for 30 years in winter.

The water in the lake is 44 cm above hydrographic datum, its historical reference point, compared to 107 cm last year, and is thus 60 to 70 cm below the average of the last decades.

Influx of visitors

After a record drought in the summer of 2022, which decimated the harvests, northern Italy is once again showing worrying signs.

The waters of the Po, the largest Italian river, are at their lowest, like Lake Garda, but also Lakes Maggiore and Como.

Five years ago, Matteo Fiori crossed the bay of Manerba del Garda on foot to reach the island of San Biagio, lifting his backpack above his head to shelter it from the waves.

says this 45-year-old social worker, who came to admire the phenomenon of this isthmus that emerged from the water with his wife and three children.

People walk on the small island of San Biagio, off Manerba del Garda, in Lake Garda on February 21, 2023, where the water level dropped to its lowest level in 30 years during the months of 'winter.

Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP

The influx of tourists, unexpected for a month of February, is a boon for the small town of Manerba del Garda:

, comments its mayor, Flaviano Mattiotti. .

he says.

Nearly 28 million tourists visited Lake Garda last year, of which around 40% are German-speaking, coming from Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

Access to some

“usually underwater” areas

"It's like walking on water

," marvels Afra Vorhauser, who came from Alto Adige, a German-speaking Italian region on the borders of Austria, after traveling the thin strip of land.

“

.

On this uninhabited islet, also known as "Rabbit Island", families picnic on the grass, under a beautiful winter sun, or walk on the arid beaches.

The children climb on the rocks and make stones ricochet on the water.

An idyllic image, if the context were not so disturbing.

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This winter, there is

, explains Paolo Artelio, president of VisitGarda, the promotion agency for Lake Garda.

Among these attractions are also the Caves of Catullus, remains of a Roman villa at the tip of the Sirmione peninsula, part of which has surfaced.

However,

. del Garda, in charge of water quality.

He considers it

.

According to him, “

.

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