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Italy drought: reservoir in Trentino lacks 30 million cubic meters of water – Lake Garda can be crossed on foot

2023-02-24T07:27:59.378Z


Italy is again suffering from a dramatic drought, lakes and rivers have reached historic lows. Even in the lagoon city of Venice, individual canals have to be closed.


Italy is again suffering from a dramatic drought, lakes and rivers have reached historic lows.

Even in the lagoon city of Venice, individual canals have to be closed.

Trento - Italy's meteorologists are sounding the alarm: As a result of the dry winters and summers of recent years, the levels in more and more lakes are falling.

The Santa Giustina reservoir in Val di Non in Trentino is currently short of 30 million cubic meters of water, which is a little less than half the normal level at this time of year.

The Trentino environmental councilor Marion Tonina speaks to the portal Südtirol News of a critical phase.

In the entire Trentino region, all the reservoirs are well below the normal water level, and if there is not enough rainfall in the coming weeks, electricity production and irrigation of the fields in the Po Valley are at risk.

However, another summer of drought is forecast for the region - with potentially devastating consequences.

Drought in Italy: Lake Garda and reservoirs in Trentino lack water

Lake Garda, which is popular with holidaymakers, is also currently at a low point, and the surrounding communities have initiated austerity measures earlier than ever before.

In the past 30 years there has never been so little water in Lake Garda in winter as it is now, the water level is more than half a meter below the average.

It is now possible to walk to an island.

A gravel path leads from the mainland to the island of San Biagio.

The environmental association Legambiente warns of further severe droughts.

Italy is already suffering from water shortages, and there are usually still plenty of supplies in February.

This is also due to the lack of snow in the Italian Alps, the snow situation has halved compared to the average in recent years, Legambiente explained in a statement.

Italy drought more and more dramatic: Po river also suffers from low water

“The year 2023 has only just begun, but it is showing worrying signs in the form of extreme weather events and droughts.

We must immediately reduce water withdrawals in the different economic sectors and for the different uses, before we reach the point of no return,” said the general director of the environmental association, Giorgio Zampetti.

The Po River is also suffering from the drought, with levels reaching historic lows in several cities, including Piacenza and Cremona.

In the Piedmont region in northern Italy, seven municipalities had to use water tankers to supply the population with drinking water, and dozens of municipalities have issued an early warning.

Video: Drought alert in Italy - Lake Garda with low water

The lagoon city of Venice, otherwise often hit by floods, is currently experiencing unusually low water levels.

Traffic had to be stopped on smaller canals, and at times the gondolas were in the mud.

Meteorologists attribute the state of emergency in Italy to a special weather situation, as wetter.at reports: A high pressure area over Italy combined with a new moon phase and special wind conditions.

The high pressure area is currently forming a barrier against perturbations, preventing cold, damp air from northern Europe from entering Italy, and there is no precipitation.

(fmu)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2023-02-24

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