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Switzerland Helps Out as Italy's Northern Lakes Are in Crisis

The discharge will rise from 3 to 8 cubic metres per second as officials seek to protect rice fields and water supplies under drought pressure.

  • Switzerland is temporarily increasing water flows from Lake Lugano into Lake Maggiore via the River Tresa, raising discharge from 3 to 8 cubic metres per second to address critical shortages affecting Italy's northern regions.
  • Competition for limited water between rice fields in Piedmont and Lombardy and essential supply networks has created a "short blanket" situation, forcing authorities to prioritize distribution as drought intensifies.
  • The Po River District raised its water stress assessment to "high" in late July, with surface water resources 37 per cent below average and 50 municipalities in Piedmont relying on water tankers.
  • Italian and Swiss officials coordinated this intervention through the Italian-Swiss Bilateral Consultation Body, recognizing that transboundary basin management requires ongoing collaboration to balance agricultural, ecological and supply demands.
  • Experts emphasize that waiting for rain is no longer sufficient; regions must implement more efficient networks, reduce system losses and improve irrigation planning to address increasingly variable water availability.
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17 Articles

Center

Italy and Switzerland adopt emergency measures against the drought in the Po Valley. The water discharge from Lake Lugano is drastically increased.

·Munich, Germany
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The Po plain suffers from extreme drought, there is a risk of crop failures. Switzerland is now helping the neighbour and feeding more water into Lake Maggiore. The country itself is struggling with the drought.

·Munich, Germany
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Lean Right

Italy and Switzerland have reached an unusual agreement to limit the effects of severe drought in northern Italy. Water from Lake Lugano will be temporarily transferred to Lake Maggiore through the River Tresa. Article Italy and Switzerland transfer water from Lake Lugano to Lake Maggiore, heavily affected by drought first appears in Romania TV.

Lean Left

Italy and Switzerland have agreed to pass more water by a small river that connects the two basins, and save important crops

·Italy
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Neue Zürcher Zeitung broke the news in Zürich, Switzerland on Sunday, August 9, 2026.
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