In recent news, Italy has been hit by its most severe drought in decades, causing a significant decline in the water level of Lake Garda. The lake, which is the largest freshwater body in the country, has been recorded to be near its all-time lowest level. This extreme circumstance has revealed vast areas of rocks previously submerged and raised the water’s temperature to levels akin to those of the Caribbean Sea.
The Diminishing Levels of Lake Garda: Reasons and Repercussions
The northern regions of Italy experienced a drastic dearth of rainfall over several months, coupled with a 70% decrease in snowfall in 2022. These conditions have led to the drying up of prominent rivers such as the Po, which is a lifeline for Italy’s agricultural and industrial sectors. The arid state of the Po river caused farmers, who traditionally depend on this river for irrigation, to suffer billions of euros in losses.
As an immediate response to the grave situation, the authorities decided to allow more water from Lake Garda to supplement local rivers. However, during late July 2022, this measure was reduced to safeguard the lake and the crucial tourism industry linked with it. Consequently, as substantial volumes of water were redirected to the rivers, Lake Garda reported its lowest level.
A Comprehensive Understanding of Droughts
Typically, a drought is understood as an extended period of shortage in rainfall or precipitation, leading to harmful effects on vegetation, wildlife, and humans. Droughts can be categorized into various types, namely, meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, and socioeconomic. Each of these types hinges on different parameters, including the degree of dryness, the impact on water resources, effects on agriculture, and the influence on the supply and demand of economic goods.
Drought Triggers: Causes and Impact
The main cause of droughts is the unpredictability in rainfall. Drought conditions can arise from a shift in the monsoon winds’ route or an early monsoon withdrawal. Additional factors such as forest fires can also induce droughts by making soils unfit for cultivation and leading to a deficit in soil water. Furthermore, land degradation and climate change collectively contribute to an uptick in dried conditions.
Effective Water Management Strategies
Strategies such as saving water, reusing treated water, resorting to desalination processes, or directly utilizing seawater for halophytic plants can be beneficial. Methods like Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), where native sprouting tree growth is facilitated through the selective pruning of shrub shoots, can also prove advantageous. Other measures include fortifying the soil through sand fences and windbreaks, enhancing soil fertility, and installing water-efficient irrigation devices.
Initiatives by the Indian Government
The Indian government has launched several programs aimed at tackling the devastating effects of drought and restoring the natural resource base. These initiatives include the Integrated Watershed Management Programme, the National Mission on Green India, and the Desert Development Programme initiated in 1995.
Previous Year Question in UPSC Civil Services Examination
Among the questions in the previous year’s UPSC Civil Services Examination was one about various government programs and their respective ministries. Another question delved into the application of ‘genome sequencing’ in Indian agriculture, primarily its role in identifying genetic markers for disease resistance and drought tolerance in crops and reducing the time required for developing new crop varieties. The examination also included a question on desertification and its relationship with climatic boundaries with the request to justify the claim with examples.