Po Valley waterways reach critical state as drought tightens grip

The Po River Authority (ADBPO) declared several waterways across northern Italy in a "critical state" on Friday, according to The Local Italy, citing drought conditions and an unfavourable weather forecast. The crisis affects Europe's most productive agricultural region, where rice paddies in Pavia province and surrounding areas face severe water stress as summer arrived earlier than normal.

The drought compounds an already precarious situation for Piedmont and the broader Po Valley. The Local Italy reported that Sharon Angoli's rice paddies in Pavia are parched and overrun with weeds, symptoms of a broader water shortage affecting the region's €2 billion rice industry. The crisis also threatens hydropower output across Alpine reservoirs that feed the valley, potentially straining northern Italy's electricity supply during peak summer demand.