AA year and a half after the summer 2022 Lake Garda drought alarm, water levels in Italy's largest lake have reached record levels. As a result of persistent heavy rains in northern Italy in recent weeks, a historic high of 140 centimeters above hydrometric zero was reached on the southeastern shore of Lake Peschiera del Garda in the middle of the week.

Compared to the same period last year, this February the level of Lake Garda is almost a meter higher. The last time the water level was comparably high was more than a quarter of a century ago, on February 23, 1997. The water level of the lake in northern Italy, which is particularly popular with holidaymakers from Germany, has been systematically recorded since. The year 1950.

More water flows in than out

Since the beginning of the year, the water level had been 125-130 centimeters above zero. When Lake Garda receives a lot of rain and meltwater, its level can be regulated by opening drainage dams, especially on the Mincio River, which flows into the Posse near Mantova. Currently, about 150 cubic meters of water per second flows from Peschiera to Mincio, near Salionze.

However, about 100 cubic meters of water per second flows into Lake Garda from the Sarca River alone. If you add the input of another 24 rivers and streams, significantly more water flows into the lake than is drained from it. The authorities are nevertheless confident that the heavy rains expected over the weekend will not lead to a significant rise in the water level.

It occasionally happens that Lake Garda “fills up” the following winter after a dry summer; the last time it was like this was in 2003 and 2007. “The real challenge is to maintain our ecosystem in a state that guarantees the quality of life needed for the future,” says Filippo Gavazzoni, vice president of the Association of Municipalities of Lake Garda, adding: “For this we must be careful. our water resources .” These stocks should initially be enough for the spring and summer of 2024.