Lack of snow condemns Italy’s Po to a desperately dry summer

By PAOLO SANTALUCIA
Associated Press

TRENTO, Italy (AP) — Italy’s largest river, that’s home to fishers and boats, feeds rich farmlands, powers turbines and quenches local populations across its banks and delta, is already as low as it was last summer, sparking fears of precariously dry months ahead with those who rely on it having to scramble for alternative, water-saving plans. The winter snow fields that normally save the 652-kilometer (405-mile) Po River from drying up completely over the warm summer have receded by 75%, according to the Bolzano climate and environment agency. The Italian government hasn’t yet appointed the extraordinary commissioner to mediate between the downstream and upstream regions and between citizens and farmers are taking matters into their own hands.