Venice

One of the nation's greatest drought minds has weighed into the ongoing crisis in Venice that's seen the city's iconic canals dry up due to a lack of snowmelt ...

Anyway, the people of Venezia need to understand that the environment actually works in large systems. It makes for sensational filler content for braid-dead television like The Project or whatever that dreadful show on the ABC is that comes on before the news. “The people of Venice, well you know it’s actually called Venezia?

Venice tourists may have to scrap their plans for romantic gondola rides -- as the famed Italian City of Water is in for a dry spell.

“If you have no water, you cannot produce energy, so this is another problem,” Bratti told the Guardian. let’s wait for the spring, which is usually the rainiest period for the Po valley. “We are still in a situation of deficit …

Venice's smaller canals have almost totally dried up due to a series of low tides, causing frustration and dissapointment for boat crews and tourists.

Many tourists who have travelled to see the city of canals have been met with small paths full of muck and water puddles. In some instances, tourists are pleased about it. As a result, medical crew have had to carry stretchers by hand across long distances. Earlier in February, the waters of Lake Garda were so low, a small strip of land emerged between the lake shores and a small island, allowing visitors to partly walk towards the centre of the lake. The typical gondola rides that are popular for visitors have also been restricted, as they are unable to go through many of the smaller waterways that go around Venice’s gorgeous bridges. In some cases, Ambulance boats have been forced to stop further away from emergencies as they are unable to travel along previously high canals of water.

Weeks of dry winter weather have raised concerns that Italy could face another drought after last summer's emergency, with the Alps having received less ...

After several weeks of dry winter as Alps received less than half of the normal snowfall, a new cause of concern regarding drought has arrived in Italy.

Gondolas are docked along a canal during a low tide in Venice, Italy. Boats are docked along a canal during a low tide in Venice, Italy. Venice, where flooding is the most widely known concern, is facing unprecedented low tides this year.

Canals in Venice, Italy, are starting to run dry following weeks of dry winter weather and unusually low tides.

[Venice](https://www.archdaily.com/tag/venice) is also facing problems of over-tourism which affects the lagoon’s ecosystem, urban development, and the local population. [Italian city installed glass barriers around the 900-year-old Basilica](https://www.archdaily.com/994482/venice-authorities-install-glass-barriers-at-st-marks-basilica-to-prevent-flooding) to protect it from future floods. According to [reports from the city](https://apnews.com/article/travel-allergies-italy-business-climate-and-environment-61a72d4a39067b38f6cb867e7535dbdf?utm_medium=website&utm_source=archdaily.com), in some cases, ambulance boats had to tie up further from their destination, forcing medical crews to hand-carry the stretchers over long distances. [Venice](https://www.archdaily.com/tag/venice)’s smaller calas have dried up almost entirely, making it difficult for gondolas, water taxis, and ambulances to reach areas of the city. A combination of factors is believed to have caused this rare sight: lack of rain, high atmospheric pressure, and the lunar cycle producing low water levels during ebb tide. Venice, a city usually concerned with devastating floods, now faces the opposite problem: canals are starting to run dry following weeks of dry winter weather and unusually low tides.

Gondolas lay beached along a series of Venice's famed canals this week, as low tides and a lack of rain left would-be punters high and dry.

As shifting weather patterns ground gondolas, a massive snow deficit in the Alps may leave Italy's most populous region gasping for water again this summer.

The extreme low water can also cause severe damage. Environmental scientists warn that climate change has exacerbated both high and low water occurrences. Italian environmental association Legambiente sounded the alarm earlier this week, warning the Italian Alps are currently packing about 53% less snow compared to the average over the last 10 years.

For the uninitiated, Venice's canals serve as the primary means of transportation — dry canals mean that water taxis, gondolas and, most alarmingly, ambulance ...

For the uninitiated, Venice’s canals serve as the primary means of transportation — dry canals mean that water taxis, gondolas and, most alarmingly, ambulance boats who rely on the canals are unable to access whole areas of the city. According to environmental scientist and sustainable development analyst Jane Da Mosto,”high atmospheric pressure combined with the lunar cycle produces the ultra-low water levels during ebb tide” this time of year. Or, most recently, that the canals for which the city has become synonymous are drying up.

Venice is famous for its winding network of canals. The waterways - which are navigated by thousands of water taxis and gondolas every day - offer a unique ...

The Alps have received The drought also impacts the city’s vital water ambulances, which may struggle to navigate Venice’s main transportation routes. [less water than is normal at this time of year.](https://www.euronews.com/2023/02/22/europe-is-experiencing-a-winter-drought-heres-what-you-should-know) [less than half of their normal snowfall this winter.](https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/01/04/no-snow-europes-ski-resorts-forced-to-close-amid-record-breaking-temperatures) Rivers and lakes in Italy have been suffering from a severe lack of water this winter - especially in the north of the country. [A lack of rainfall](https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/02/21/in-pictures-parts-of-europe-face-risk-of-drought-after-historically-low-winter-rainfall) is partially to blame after weeks of dry winter weather, but a high-pressure weather system, full moon and sea currents have also contributed to the drought.

Venice has often been described as a beautiful oddity and rightfully so. The Italian city built on over 100 islands and crisscrossed by 177 canals and which ...

The phenomenon had been attributed to an unusually early heatwave and a lack of rainfall, particularly in the Po valley. The Italian city, famous for its gondolas, has also been suffering alongside the country’s rivers and lakes which are also witnessing a severe lack of water. The lack of snow this year has also been a concern since there was 53 per cent less in the Alps, particularly in the Po basin. Last year, Italy declared a state of emergency in five northern regions which included areas surrounding the river Po which was facing its worst drought in 70 years. “We are in a water deficit situation that has been building up since the winter of 2020-2021,” said climate expert Massimiliano Pasqui, from the National Research Council (CNR), as per Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera. In this context, scientists have also referred to the Alps which received less than half of their normal snowfall.

February 22, 2023 2:22 p.m.. Boats in muddy canal with little water in Venice Ambulance boats and tourist gondolas are having a tough time getting around ...

The Italian government also [declared a state of emergency](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/5/italy-declares-drought-emergency#:~:text=The%20cabinet%20approved%20a%20state,fund%20to%20help%20those%20affected.) for five regions affected by the lack of rain and hot temperatures. Built atop some 120 islands, the city could be [underwater by 2100](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220927-italys-plan-to-save-venice-from-sinking) in a worst case scenario as sea levels rise, spurred by human-caused climate change. The country is facing a water deficit that’s been building up since the winter of 2020 to 2021, However, officials worry it won’t be enough to head off another drought this summer. However, environmental groups are concerned about how little moisture the country has received this winter and worry that another drought may be on the horizon. In some instances, they’ve had to carry patients on stretchers over longer distances to get back to the boats. Over the weekend, tidal measurements were more than half a meter (roughly 1.6 feet) below their normal levels, reports the London However, the low tide’s effect on the smaller, secondary canals has affected daily life in Venice. [worst drought in seven decades](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/drought-italy-exposes-sunken-world-war-ii-barge-180980297/), which contributed to [billions of dollars](https://apnews.com/article/agriculture-italy-climate-and-environment-77d11e4bd33ac53f4222ab66725cd68e) of losses for farmers. Combined with a full moon and sea currents, the city faced a perfect storm for lower-than-usual water levels. [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-faces-new-drought-alert-after-another-dry-winter-2023-02-20/)’ Cristina Carlevaro. [flooding](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/venice-museums-re-open-after-citys-worst-flood-decade-180970682/).

Visitors heading to Venice may not see as many of the city's picturesque canals, or potentially enjoy a gondola ride, as the waterways have dried up due to ...

[Venice](https://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/hotels-in-downtown-venice) has taken steps in recent years to protect its waterways and combat overtourism, including banning large cruise ships from the lagoon basin near St. [CNN reported](https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/no-snow-european-ski-resorts-climate/index.html). Venice also isn’t alone in dealing with weather-related issues. That, in turn, has meant tourists can’t explore many of the beautiful secondary waterways by gondola as the canals often serve as [Venice’s](https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/venice) streets in the car-less city, and even meant ambulance boats have had trouble reaching their destinations. "We are in a water deficit situation that has been building up since the winter of 2020-2021," climate expert Massimiliano Pasqui from Italian scientific research institute CNR said, according to Reuters. [Reuters reported](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-faces-new-drought-alert-after-another-dry-winter-2023-02-20/).