In the month of May, in Veneto, so much rain fell from the sky that it filled two million Olympic swimming pools. Or, if you prefer, with water falling from the sky every Venetian citizen (there are 5 million people in the region) could shower for three years, that is, about a thousand times.
It is no coincidence that May was, in our region, the rainiest month of the last thirty years.
This is attested by the report drawn up and published by Arpav, which also highlights another innovation: the aquifers have been recharged with water, often to the point of reaching the highest flow rates of the last twenty years. Particularly good news, the latter, for the balance of the environment but in particular for agriculture.
Rain effect, therefore: in May 5041 million cubic meters of water fell on the Veneto region, 136% more than the average of the 2000s. May of this year – the Arpav report informs – with an average of 274 millimeters falling was the wettest since 1994, followed by May 2019 (237 mm) and 2013 (235 mm).
However, the last month full of rain is not an isolated episode: from October 2023 to May 2024 the estimated rainfall in Veneto was on average 1120 millimetres, compared to an average of 717 mm for the period 1994-2023, i.e. approximately 56% more .
The rainfall is estimated at approximately 20,620 million cubic meters of water, or as much as can fit in 82,500 rooms as large as the Verona Arena or 556,000 “containers” equal to the size of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.
Since 1994, higher rainfall amounts have been measured in the Veneto region only in the equivalent period of 2012-2013, with 1172 mm.
The maximum rainfall in the period October ’23 – May ’24 was recorded by the stations of: Valpore Monte Grappa (Seren del Grappa, Belluno) with 2925 mm (i.e. almost three meters of water), Turcati (Recoaro Terme, Vicenza) with 2708 mm, Rifugio la Guardia (Recoaro Terme, Vicenza) with 2689 mm. The minimum rainfall was recorded by the stations of: Sant’Apollinare (Rovigo) with 434 mm, Frassinelle Polesine (Rovigo) with 453 mm, Concadirame (Rovigo) with 480 mm and Pellizzare (Bagnolo di Po, Rovigo) with 493 mm.
Therefore, one of the major concerns is alleviated: the progressive impoverishment of the water reserves present underground. After the last few very dry years, in fact, the aquifers in Veneto were particularly low. The heavy rains of recent months have brought most of them closer to the maximum levels recorded in this first part of the century.
Giorgio Malavasi
