Italy faces severe drought as Po River flow collapses and major lakes shrink

A prolonged drought in northern Italy has driven the Po River’s discharge from 150–180 m³/s to just 35–40 m³/s between Alessandria and Pavia. The regional environmental agency Arpa Piemonte reported a water deficit of 44 % compared with the 1991‑2020 average, and agricultural adviser Alberto Lasagna said the situation rates “11 on a scale of 15”.

Lake Maggiore has fallen to 58.4 % of capacity, losing three to four centimetres of water each day – about 102 million m³ in two weeks – while Lake Garda and other Alpine lakes are also well below seasonal norms. Saline Adriatic water has pushed 20 km inland into the Po delta, prompting an emergency meeting of the Po basin water‑use authority (Adbpo) on 25 June; regions have halted water withdrawals in parts of Piedmont and introduced conservation measures in Emilia‑Romagna, Veneto and Lombardy.

The drought threatens rice fields and other crops, risking harvest failures and increased imports from Southeast Asia. Lasagna warned, “Wir verbrauchen im Grunde die Ersparnisse unserer Urgroßeltern” (“We are essentially using the savings of our great‑grandparents”). The Adbpo will reconvene on 3 July to reassess the situation.