2023-05-05 19:44:00
I wanted to book a holiday on Lake Garda. What is the current situation there?
As of May 5, Lake Garda was 54 centimeters above the zero level. For a value similar to the current one, you have to go back decades. A similarly low water level can already be found in the measurement archives in the 1980s. Nevertheless, one can now clearly see the consequences of man-made climate change: “In the last two winters there has been a little less precipitation, so not as much meltwater has flowed into Lake Garda as in other winters,” says Oskar Schwazer, General Manager of Garda Dolomiti SpA – Acienda per il Turismo.
How much less water does the lake currently have?
Normally, the water level in winter is 80 to 100 centimeters above zero, in summer it can drop to ten centimeters, explains Schwazer. On average, the lake has a total volume of approximately 50 billion cubic meters and an average depth of 133 meters.
When the water level in summer is sometimes only ten centimeters above zero, is it still possible to swim at all?
The so-called hydrometric zero point is used to regulate the water level. This is an arbitrary value set by the consortia that oversee the regulation of the lake. So the hydrometric zero point does not correspond to the bottom of the lake.
Apart from the weather, what influences the water level of Lake Garda?
Lake Garda has been artificially regulated since 1949: currently around one percent of the total volume is influenced by human hands, because its water is also used for irrigation in agriculture.
Are there any effects on the water quality?
Lake Garda has been checked for its water quality six times a year since the late 1980s, explains Giovanna Pellegrini, biologist and employee of the APPA, the environmental protection agency of the province of Trento. In cooperation with the provincial health authority, special attention is paid to suitability as a bathing lake. The current water level has no effect on the quality, Lake Garda is in good condition.
Is it even possible to go boating when the water level is low?
“There are currently no restrictions on tourism due to the water level on Lake Garda,” says Cristina Santi, representative of the Comunità del Garda and mayor of Riva del Garda. Shipping on the largest lake in Italy is also currently running according to plan. Should the water level continue to drop, Navigarda will use shallow water craft such as B. planing boats, use as a replacement. All water sports could be practiced.
If there is a water shortage, are hotels allowed to fill their pools at all?
Currently no restrictions have been defined for hotels and their guests. Only in Riva del Garda were public fountains closed to raise awareness.
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