Italy’s Po River Dries Up Amid Extreme Heat, Threatening Agriculture and Fisheries

Italy’s longest river, the Po, has been experiencing a significant drop in water levels for years, a situation worsened by an ongoing extreme heatwave across Europe. This decline has allowed salty Adriatic seawater to intrude into the fertile Po Valley, damaging agricultural lands crucial for producing Parmesan cheese milk and a large share of Italy’s wheat, rice, and tomatoes. The Po River, stretching from the Alps in the northwest to the Adriatic Sea in the east, is vital for drinking water, irrigation, and hydroelectric power in northern Italy.

The river’s flow has plummeted from an average of about 1,500 cubic meters per second in June to below 300 cubic meters per second in recent days, an unprecedented rapid drop according to the Interregional Agency for the Po River (AIPo). Farmers like Federica Vidali watch anxiously as their sunflower fields dry and crack under the relentless sun, with irrigation canals blocked to prevent seawater contamination. Although Alpine lakes feeding the valley remain about 60% full, snowpack has melted earlier due to climate change, reducing water availability.

Experts warn that while the region is not officially in drought yet, conditions are deteriorating, with seawater penetrating up to 20 kilometers inland. Barriers to block seawater require stronger river flows to be effective, but current flows are insufficient. Engineers and farmers are considering new dams and reservoirs, though concerns remain that these measures may not suffice. The last major drought hit the Po Valley in late July 2022.

Meanwhile, shellfish fishermen near the river’s delta face rising water temperatures that have triggered excessive algae growth and invasive blue crabs from North America, threatening local aquaculture. Paolo Mancini, head of the local fishing cooperative, described the prolonged heat as causing severe challenges beyond typical seasonal variations. Authorities have issued red heat warnings for 18 cities including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence, and Bologna, underscoring the widespread impact of the heatwave on northern Italy’s environment and economy.