After months without significant rainfall, the Po River, the longest river in Italy, is experiencing record low water levels. An area of the Po Valley near Piacenza is depicted in this animation, which demonstrates how the river considerably receded between June 2020 and June 2022.
The huge river, which stretches from the Alps in the northwest to the Adriatic Sea on the east coast, is an essential source of water for many areas. It provides drinking water, irrigates vast areas of farmland, and generates hydroelectricity in northern Italy.
As a result of the lack of rainfall that northern Italy has been experiencing, high temperatures, and a lack of snow in the mountains that feed the river, water levels in the Po Valley have now reached record lows. The Po River Observatory reports that several of these places have already gone dry than 110 days without even a drop of rain.
The Po River, which was previously a big swath of murky water (as seen in the June 2020 purchase), has since dried out, leaving vast stretches of exposed sand (as seen in the June 2022 acquisition).
The Po Valley, which provides around 40% of Italy’s food, including wheat, rice, and tomatoes, is the most significant agricultural region in the nation. Farmers are finding it difficult to maintain crop irrigation due to the continuous drought, and many municipalities in the Po Valley have been instructed to ration water at night due to the dryness.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, agriculture uses up to 70% of freshwater, and given the growing water shortage, water utilisation needs to be more effective in this industry, according to Benjamin Koetz, head of ESA’s Sustainable Initiatives Office.
Featured Image: Pinterest.com
News from CRUCIAL NEWS GLOBAL
💫FOLLOW US FOR MORE UPDATES. ❌WE DO NOT HAVE IRRITATING AND SPAMMY NEWSLETTERS. ✅EVERYTHING IS AND WILL BE FREE FOREVER. SEE YOU AGAIN IN YOUR STORIES AND FEED 🙂
