The extreme drought in Italy is also hitting Lake Garda hard.
Some residents of the region have long since started to rethink.
Verona – The southern Germans' favorite holiday destination is in danger.
The water level in Lake Garda is currently almost 50 centimeters lower than in recent years.
Photos of drained sandbars and overgrown beaches have been a concern for months.
But how bad is the situation really - and what does that mean for the residents of the region in northern Italy?
51 centimeters above hydrometic zero.
This is the current water level of Lake Garda according to the
Gardasee.de
portal .
The Italian newspaper
La Stampa
even reports a value of 45.8 centimeters.
That would be the lowest value in 70 years.
Last year, drought and high temperatures had already led to major problems.
The water level fell – but agriculture in northern Italy in particular is dependent on the water.
There was even talk of pumping out Lake Garda to save the fertile Po region.
Italy worried about Lake Garda: Some of the residents are already rethinking
Now the situation seems even worse, because the dry summer was followed by a dry winter.
There has been some rain in the last few days - but this has only slightly slowed down the consequences of the drought, but above all it has not eliminated it because we are now heading for summer and the temperatures will rise," says Ermes Sagùla, agronomist and manager of the agricultural Coldiretti Lombardia Help Center to
La Stampa.
In his view, agriculture in particular could have even less water available in 2023 than last summer.
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Lake Garda in Italy in early April 2023. Shot just after sunrise on the shore in Riva del Garda.
© IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Raphael Schmitt
According to the report, people make do with the use of water from other lakes, such as Lake Iseo.
But many farmers in the region have already started to rethink.
Accordingly, some are already concentrating on plants that require less water – such as soybeans.
Others are making requests to access groundwater, use drip irrigation, or delay seeding.
Lake Garda hit hard by drought: consequences for tourism?
In contrast to agriculture, however, tourism should be secured - this is what Pierlucio Ceresa, Secretary General of the Garda Community promises: "The tourist use of the waters of Lake Garda is guaranteed, i.e. shipping and bathing".
Drought summer 2022: drought and lack of rain burden Germany
Drought summer 2022: drought and lack of rain burden Germany
Nevertheless, the drought will certainly change the experience of Lake Garda for tourists as well.
Some cities and municipalities also banned the irrigation of green areas last year.
Drought in Italy: are there solutions?
There doesn't seem to be a real solution at the moment.
"I doubt that we can really do anything for the summer because unfortunately we can't invent snow or rain or replenish the groundwater," said Massimo Gargano, head of the National Association for the Protection of the Territory and Irrigation, Anbi.
However, according to Gargano: "This very deep crisis must be tackled first of all with infrastructure, as was done some time ago for the South, and then with a water collection and conservation system: today we collect just over 10 percent of it".
Lake Garda is of course not the only alpine lake to be hit by the drought.
Another lake has now even dried up completely.
List of rubrics: © IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Raphael Schmitt
