Lake Garda: 222 Million Cubic Meters of Water Lost in Two Months

Lake Garda’s water level has dropped from 106 to 66 centimetres above the hydrometric zero between June 5 and August 5, 2026, a fall of 40 centimetres and an estimated loss of 222 million cubic metres of water over two months. The decline has continued for weeks: since July 9 the level has remained below the expected historical average, and in the last ten days it has fallen by about 1 to 1.5 centimetres per day.

Authorities say the situation is not currently considered an emergency. Withdrawals for municipal water supply account for less than 10% of the resources distributed across the 22 lakeside municipalities, while the main impact comes from irrigation diversions: yesterday, 16 cubic metres per second entered the lake from the Sarca, and 66 cubic metres per second left from the Mozambano regulatory office. Officials add that levels remain sufficient for now and there are no immediate expected problems for navigation, but reduced availability and hotter conditions are prompting calls for water-saving measures and protection.
Italian Version