Gepubliceerd op 18 augustus 2022
Drought continues to plague northern Italy, causing a severe water deficit in its reservoirs. The water level of Lake Garda, the largest Italian lake, is at its lowest level in 15 years.
The insufficient rainfall deficit and the increased outflow of water to ensure the irrigation of agricultural fields in the Po Valley have caused a drastic drop in the water levels. The water level has dropped to the point that areas of the lakebed around the Sirmione peninsula, usually submerged, have emerged. The phenomenon can be observed when comparing images from Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 16 August 2021 (left) and 16 August 2022 (right).
The Copernicus product portfolio includes two Drought Observatories, managed by the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS), which provide drought indicators and early warnings for droughts in Europe and worldwide.
