Italy drought threatens Po River irrigation in 10 days

Water reserves in northern Italy's Po River basin could be exhausted within 10 days if irrigation continues at the current rate and no rain falls, the Po River District Basin Authority warned Friday.

The authority said the situation was "extremely critical" as farming came under threat and the Po, the region's main river, dried up.

Reduced flow in the Po delta has allowed salt water from the Adriatic Sea to push 20 to 25 kilometres upstream, partly preventing field irrigation. The authority said the ecosystem could also be affected.

The Veneto region, where the Po flows into the Adriatic, declared a state of emergency at the beginning of the month because of the drought. In Piedmont, where the river has its source, an emergency meeting has been called for Monday, and officials may decide to increase water releases to maintain the Po's flow, the authority said.

Water levels in major lakes have fallen. The authority said Lake Maggiore's fill rate dropped by 17 percent, or 33 centimetres, in a week, while Lake Como fell by 15 percent.