Satellite imagery captured by the European Copernicus program between August 1st and 3rd revealed substantial sand and pebble dunes along the River Po near Cremona, formations that are typically submerged. These observations indicate significantly reduced water levels in the waterway. The river reached a measurement of 8.59 meters below hydrometric zero at Cremona on July 30th.
This level represents a slight decline, measuring one centimeter lower than the record low recorded during the severe drought experienced in 2022. Overall, the flow rate of the river has diminished to less than one-third of the average flow expected for this time of year. The situation shows a worsening trend further downstream.
At the location of Pontelagoscuru in the province of Ferrara, the flow rate was measured at 220.4 cubic meters per second at the beginning of August. For comparison, the flow measured at the end of June was approximately 350 cubic meters, while the established seasonal average is around 1100 cubic meters. Throughout July, the flow remained consistently below 320 cubic meters, highlighting persistent hydrological stress across the Po river system.
Topics: #river #drought #cremona
