Heatwave in Northern Italy: Lake Garda Losing Billions of Liters of Water Daily

At the official measuring point in Peschiera del Garda, the water level was 94 centimeters on July 1, according to the authority Aipo (Agenzia Interregionale per il fiume Po), and thus fell below the one-meter mark for the first time this year. At times, the decline accelerated to about 1.5 centimeters per day, the Comunità del Garda explained. In spring 2023, the water level had temporarily dropped to around 45 centimeters. The historic low was recorded in September 2007 at just seven centimeters.

According to the Comunità del Garda, the water level on the reporting date was about 24 centimeters below the value of the same day in 2025. The organization's Secretary General, Pierlucio Ceresa, warned: "Der Sommer hat erst vor drei Tagen begonnen." The snow reserves in the Alps had already melted in spring, and there had been hardly any precipitation in the lake's catchment area for weeks. The main tributary, the Sarca, is also currently carrying comparatively little water.

State of Emergency and Political Reaction

Between January and May, Veneto received more than a quarter less rain than in the same period the previous year. The flow rates of the region's most important rivers are "significantly and consistently" below average, according to the authorities. For the Po, Italy's largest river, they are 23 percent lower. The water level of Lake Garda is also "significantly falling," the region announced.

In view of the situation, Veneto declared a state of emergency. In Italy, the declaration of a state of emergency is more common, as this step enables a faster release of state funds and an acceleration of administrative procedures. The declaration was published on the region's website on the day of reporting.

The President of the Veneto Region, Alberto Stefani, called on local authorities to find a "sparsameren und nachhaltigeren Umgang mit Wasserressourcen." In addition, the supervisory authority Aipo is being asked as a precaution to examine a reduction in water release from the lake, as Ceresa stated at the end of June. At the Salionze weir near Peschiera del Garda, Aipo regulates how much water is released into the Mincio.

Economic and Ecological Significance of the Lake

Lake Garda is not only a popular vacation destination but also an important water source for agriculture, fisheries, and industry. Its water is used primarily for irrigating the Po Plain, as well as for drinking water supply to numerous municipalities around the lake, for tourism, shipping, industry, and energy production. Under Italian law, drinking water supply has priority over agricultural use.

The lake has a surface area of approximately 370 square kilometers and an average depth of about 135 meters. Its total volume is estimated at 50 billion cubic meters. This makes it one of the most water-rich lakes in Europe.

Climate Change as Background

According to current weather models, the heatwave could last at least until the beginning of the second week of July. The lake therefore faces further daily losses in the billions should insufficient precipitation fall.

Although individual extreme events cannot be directly attributed to a specific cause, it is clear according to the World Climate Council: "Durch die Klimakrise werden Extremwetterereignisse wie Starkregen und Überschwemmungen, Hitze und Dürre häufiger und intensiver." The ongoing drought in Northern Italy fits into this picture.