Po River drought threatens farms and water supplies in northern Italy

The Po River is running exceptionally low across northern Italy, raising concerns for farms, navigation and municipal water supplies. In several stretches, the river has narrowed to a shallow channel, with exposed gravel banks and muddy water visible near the Ticino confluence and around Pavia. The situation is also affecting Turin, where crews have been clearing invasive aquatic plants from the river near the city centre.

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The Po River Basin Authority says flows are well below seasonal averages, with levels at some monitoring stations approaching or exceeding records set during the severe drought of 2022. Tanker deliveries are already reaching more than 100 municipalities in Piedmont and Lombardy, according to the report. Officials and local users say the most vulnerable stretch is below Piacenza, where falling water levels are exposing debris and making conditions more difficult for river management.

The drought is hitting some of northern Italy's most productive agricultural areas. In the rice-growing Lomellina area, officials warn that the situation could worsen without significant rainfall, forcing farmers to rely more heavily on groundwater and emergency measures. Near Parma, tributaries and irrigation canals serving fruit and vegetable farms are also running low, and farmers say water rationing is already affecting irrigation schedules.

The river's reduced flow is also disrupting leisure boating and rowing clubs, while navigation has become increasingly difficult in some areas. The incident matters because the Po basin is central to Italy's food production and water security. The river supports irrigation across a wide agricultural belt that includes rice, fruit and vegetable farming, and it also supplies towns and cities along its course.

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When flows fall sharply, the impact is not limited to farming: municipal services, river transport and local recreation can all be affected at the same time. The current strain comes after a series of dry periods that have already tested the basin in recent years. Authorities are comparing some of the present readings with the 2022 drought, which was one of the most severe in recent memory for the river system.

Heat and low water are also encouraging algae growth and invasive species, adding to the operational burden on local crews and river managers. What remains unclear is how long the low-water conditions will last and whether rainfall will arrive soon enough to ease pressure on irrigation and municipal supplies. The basin authority has identified the stretch below Piacenza as especially exposed, but the wider picture will depend on weather patterns in the coming days and weeks.

For now, officials are monitoring flows closely while municipalities and farmers continue to rely on emergency deliveries and rationing measures.

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