Lake Garda Level Regulation Commission Reestablished to Address Water and Flood Risks

After several years of absence, the Lake Garda Level Regulation Commission has returned. The Autorità di Bacino del Po (Po Basin Authority), presided over by Secretary General Roberto Passino, officially established this important and long-awaited body, also defining its composition. The commission will therefore be represented by the Ministry of Public Works, the authority of the Adige River basin, the regions of Lombardy and Veneto, the Autonomous Province of Trento, and the provinces of Brescia, Verona, and Mantova.

Furthermore, the resolution of the General Secretariat also decided to include, as members of the commission, a representative of the Lombard shoreline municipalities and those of Veneto. In recent days, names of representatives from various administrations have been arriving at the Po Authority.

For the Verona municipalities on Lake Garda, Umberto Chincarini, mayor of Peschiera and recently re-elected Lega parliamentarian, has been designated. The water levels of Italy’s largest lake, a well-known issue, have been notoriously unpredictable over the past decade.

However, no efforts to open a minimal dialogue or attempt to resolve these issues have materialized. These issues include the ongoing threat of floods and inundations, disruptions at state ports, and damage to the lake’s ecosystem. On paper, the commission existed (created as far back as 1955), but in reality, it was no longer active due to a lack of representatives, an operational headquarters, and decision-making power.

Now, the tasks assigned to the newly formed commission are to examine “the current management rules for Lake Garda, with particular reference to their impact on lake levels, water quality, the proliferation of macro-vegetation, resource usage by downstream populations, flood mitigation for the Sarca tributary, hydraulic safety in the city of Mantova, impacts on the hydrological regime of the Po, and interconnections during floods with the river basins.”

Roberto Passino has been appointed to coordinate the commission. The work that awaits this new body is extremely delicate and complex.

In 1999, for example, a coordinating table was established within the Po Basin for the development of a program to curb the phenomenon of “floating weeds.” More recently, in January, the Veneto Region brought attention to the Technical Committee of the same Po Authority regarding issues related to the management of the Salionze dam, which regulates the Mincio, the outlet of Lake Garda. The Salionze dam is of strategic importance within the comprehensive water and navigation system of Garda, Mincio, and Mantova, because, besides irrigational and industrial purposes, it serves as a defense against the dangerous floods of Garda and Mincio in the downstream areas.

Finally, current management of the dam has been hampered by interference between the magistrate for the Po and the magistrate for Water, two major bodies created in distant eras, but whose roles and responsibilities have, in recent times, been fragmented or delegated to local authorities.

Now, two key steps are awaited from the commission: the development and definition of a level plan (the Garda Community) has already been undertaking a study for years—one that involves an expert: Professor Adalberto Da Casto of Salò—and securing financial funding to better manage the system.