Lake Garda Water Levels Crisis Sparks Debate and Calls for Legislative Action
As Lake Garda begins to recede (but the nightmare of flooding has not been eliminated, since the lake remains very high), the debate intensifies over finding a definitive solution to the level issues, a topic discussed for years. Currently, the management of the waters of Benaco is entrusted to the Magistrato alle acque di Venezia, through the operational office based in Verona. However, regarding water levels, there is always a tug-of-war between the needs of the lakeside municipalities and those of farmers in Mantovano and the Autorità di Bacino. Fortunately, the day before yesterday, the Magistrato alle acque urged a reduced inflow into Garda from hydroelectric basins (Molveno, Ponale, and Valvestino), considering the current levels.
Interventions and legislative issues
On this matter, Brescia parliamentarians have taken turns to question the relevant ministers (Public Works and Environment) to highlight the urgency of a series of legislative measures. The mayors of Sirmione (Maurizio Ferrari) and Peschiera (Umberto Chincarini) have forged a steel pact to unite efforts in criticizing the absence of action by ministerial bodies in solving the longstanding level problem and to demand a greater role in decision-making.
The contribution of Zilioli and the current state of Lake Garda’s level
Now, an important constructive contribution has been made by Dr. Eugenio Zilioli, coordinator of activities at the Centro di Rilevamento Ambientale di Sirmione and an expert at CNR, the National Research Council. «The dynamics of Garda’s rising levels are not like a seismic event; it is largely controllable, but there needs to be a management and coordination plan that currently does not exist, perhaps one expressly dedicated and activated only during crisis phases,» Zilioli writes in his letter sent the other day to the Prefettura di Brescia, the Autorità di Bacino, and the Magistrato alle Acque di Venezia, as well as to the three mayors of the towns now at greatest risk, namely Desenzano, Sirmione, and Peschiera.
«The hope remains that none of this will be exacerbated by the wind – the scenario that would follow is only imaginable – and that in the next 12 months – Zilioli still notes – we will strive to address the problem with firm resolve.» Now, let’s look at some interesting data collected by the CNR expert. Last year, during the same period (October 22 – November 7), over 19 days, the water level rose from 100 centimeters above the zero mark to 145 centimeters, with an average gradient of about 2.5 centimeters per day. On November 7, 1999, with a wind blowing at 23 meters per second (approximately 80 km/h), significant damage occurred.
Dr. Zilioli further notes that this year, conditions were even worse. The other day, the hydrometric gauge at the port of Castello in Sirmione recorded 173 centimeters. Similar to last year, there was a continuous increase of 3.6 centimeters per day. This occurred despite the maximum limit set by the now-dissolved Ministerial Commission for Public Works for the autumn period being only 80 centimeters. It should be remembered that until September 14, Garda was in a concerning drought phase, just 45 centimeters above zero. In 50 days, levels have risen to nearly 2 meters in recent days, «despite the numerous meetings held,» as Zilioli recalls, «and the good intentions shown over the past year.»
Future prospects and resource management
Another question arises: if future autumns are as rainy as some predictions suggest, what will happen to Lake Garda? Moreover, the damage costs and the expenses related to mobilizing hundreds of personnel have not yet been reported. Additionally, the delicate issue of opening the Adige-Garda tunnel, which discharged about 5 million cubic meters of water into the lake, has arisen.
A move that the Lega councilor from Desenzano, Rino Polloni, has described as «an environmental disaster» and for which he has filed a complaint. The problem, in this case, is that there is no regulation for management, which is entrusted to the Provincia Autonoma di Trento. However, in practice, the responsibilities have not been clearly defined. This provides yet another reason to reconsider the water management of Italy’s largest lake.