Italy’s longest river is drying up: in July, the flow of the Po at Pontelagoscuro was about 32 percent below the previous negative record for the average monthly flow. The water level of the 652-kilometer-long Po River dropped so much that the saltwater seeped into the riverbed at the mouth of the sea for miles. A state of emergency has been declared in five northern Italian regions due to the lack of water.
Little rain, high heat: the weather clearly affects the water level of the 652-kilometer-long Po River. This is dramatic, because the body of water nearly a third of the country’s agricultural output. The drinking water supply is also limited by the drought. Water restrictions have already been imposed in 100 cities in the Emilia Romagna region.
The average flow of the Po at Pontelagoscuro in the Adriatic region of Emilia Romagna was 160.48 cubic meters per second in July, 32.29 percent lower than the previous negative record for the average monthly flow recorded in July 2006.
This year also set a new minimum flow record of just 104.3 cubic meters per second on July 24, according to the weekly report from the Observatory of Water Resources in Italy.
Lake Garda also hit by drought
The water level dropped so much that the salt water at the mouth of the sea seeped for miles into the riverbed. In some places the level is lower than in 70 years. Large lakes such as Lake Garda have significantly less water than usual at this time of year. Cities such as Pisa and Verona have recently restricted water use. Venice and Milan have disabled some of the fountains.
State of emergency declared due to water shortage
The Italian government declared a state of emergency in early July over water shortages in five northern Italian regions. For the regions of Piemonte, Lombardy, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Emilia Romagna, 35 million euros will be made available to limit the negative effects of the months-long drought.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
