Monday, 28 Jul 2025
America Age
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Font ResizerAa
America AgeAmerica Age
Search
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
America Age > Blog > World > Italy’s salty Po Delta hurting agriculture, fisheries
World

Italy’s salty Po Delta hurting agriculture, fisheries

Enspirers | Editorial Board
Share
Italy’s salty Po Delta hurting agriculture, fisheries
SHARE

PORTO TOLLE, Italy (AP) — Drought and unusually hot weather have raised the salinity in Italy’s largest delta, where the mighty Po River feeds into the Adriatic Sea south of Venice, and it’s killing rice fields along with the shellfish that are a key ingredient in one of Italy’s culinary specialties: spaghetti with clams.

At least one-third of the stock of prized double-valve clams raised in the Po Delta have died off. Plants along the banks of the Po River are wilting as they drink in water from increasingly salty aquifers and secondary waterways have dried up, shrinking amphibians and birds’ wetland homes.

“It is evident that there is an entire system with an ecology that will have permanent problems,’’ said Giancarlo Mantovani, director of Po River Basin Authority. The ecosystem includes the Po Delta Park, which along with neighboring lands in Veneto form a reserve recognized by UNESCO for its biodiversity.

The amount of water entering the delta from the Po River is at an all-time low, hitting just 95 cubic meters (3,350 cubic feet) a second last month, due to drought conditions caused by a lack of wintertime snowpack and spring and summer rains. That is one-tenth of annual averages. It has been nearly two months since farmers have been able to tap the river water for agriculture.

The impact may be even more lasting, as saltwater is leaching inland distances never before recorded, and seeping into aquifers, underground layers of rock that can hold water.

And while deltas are by definition an area of exchange between fresh and salt water, the movement is becoming more and more one-directional: Inland penetration of saltwater has increased from two kilometers (just over a mile) in the 1960s and 10 kilometers (six miles) in the 1980s to an astounding 38 kilometers (nearly 24 miles) this year.

“The territory around the Po is three meters below sea level, therefore there is a continual flow of saline water that is going into the aquifers,’’ Mantovani said. “We are therefore not only creating an agricultural problem, a human problem, but also an environmental problem. … This is a perfect storm.”

For growers of clams, excessive salinity, high temperatures and the resulting spread of algae are suffocating the mollusk that is the centerpiece of one of summertime Italy’s favorite dishes: Spaghetti alle vongole. And none are more prized than the vongole veraci with a striped and grooved shell that are raised in the Adriatic Sea.

“You can see the clams are suffering,’’ said Katisucia Bellan, who has been clamming for 27 years. “In the afternoon, with this heat, the lagoon dries up. You can pass with the tractor here.”

According to the Coldiretti agricultural lobby, this year’s die-off could accelerate if the proper exchange of salt and fresh water is not restored. It blames the failure to remove sediment from the delta, which allows oxygen and fresh water into the lagoon, for aggravating the situation.

Meanwhile, clam farmers worried that more stock could die have rushed to market while they still have mollusks to sell. This abundance has forced down prices, creating more economic hardship. “There is a double negative effect: die-off and lower prices,’’ said Coldiretti’s Alessandro Faccioli said.

Nearby rice growers also are watching the rise of salinity with increasing anxiety. The paddies of the Po Delta are a small part of Italy’s national rice production, which is centered in drought-stricken Piedmont and Lombardy closer to the source of the Po River. While the bigger producers are suffering from a lack of water in their fields, those in the delta are suffering the increased salt content, which is killing off plants.

Grower Elisa Moretto, who runs a small family business, hopes they can salvage one-third of their crop this year, but that remains to be seen. If she can eke a profit is up to other forces, including increased fuel and fertilizer costs.

But the real worry is for the future, if salinity rises and causes permanent damage to the aquifers.

“If that happens, everything dies,’’ Moretto said.

___

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Chris Brown defends taking risqué photos with female fans at meet-and-greets and says he’s not like other ‘lame’ artists ‘that won’t make eye contact’ with fans Chris Brown defends taking risqué photos with female fans at meet-and-greets and says he’s not like other ‘lame’ artists ‘that won’t make eye contact’ with fans
Next Article Iran’s Raisi plans to address UN in New York despite US sanctions Iran’s Raisi plans to address UN in New York despite US sanctions

Your Trusted Source for Accurate and Timely Updates!

Our commitment to accuracy, impartiality, and delivering breaking news as it happens has earned us the trust of a vast audience. Stay ahead with real-time updates on the latest events, trends.
FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
InstagramFollow
LinkedInFollow
MediumFollow
QuoraFollow
- Advertisement -
Ad image

Popular Posts

Tips on how to watch Penn State vs. UCLA soccer stay with out cable

Questioning methods to watch school soccer this season? Listed below are your greatest choices: Greatest…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Amazon deal of the day: The flamboyant Roborock S8 Professional Extremely is $700 off, matching its all-time low worth

Try the perfect Amazon offers of the day as of Nov. 6: We're nonetheless over…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Google reveals Reddit Solutions is powered by Gemini AI

Google has now confirmed that Reddit makes use of Gemini to energy Reddit Solutions, an…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

COP15 nature summit snag on money matters, 30% conservation goal

By Gloria DickieMONTREAL, Dec 15 (Reuters) - With countries digging into their positions at U.N.…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

You Might Also Like

Australia politics dwell: Chaney pushes invoice to ban AI youngster abuse apps; Georgie Purcell publicizes being pregnant with Labor’s Josh Burns
World

Australia politics dwell: Chaney pushes invoice to ban AI youngster abuse apps; Georgie Purcell publicizes being pregnant with Labor’s Josh Burns

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Victorian Labor occasion members to push for ‘immediate’ federal recognition of a Palestinian state
World

Victorian Labor occasion members to push for ‘immediate’ federal recognition of a Palestinian state

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Pictures of youngsters ravenous in Gaza have shaken some world leaders out of inertia – however what’s going to Labor do?
World

Pictures of youngsters ravenous in Gaza have shaken some world leaders out of inertia – however what’s going to Labor do?

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Israel pronounces day by day army pauses as fury mounts over hunger in Gaza
World

Israel pronounces day by day army pauses as fury mounts over hunger in Gaza

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
America Age
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


America Age: Your instant connection to breaking stories and live updates. Stay informed with our real-time coverage across politics, tech, entertainment, and more. Your reliable source for 24/7 news.

Company
  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement
Contact Us
  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability
Terms of Use
  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?