Switzerland Gives Italy More Water From Lake Lugano to Boost Lake Maggiore

Switzerland has decided to release more water from Lake Lugano toward Ponte Tresa, temporarily helping to prop up Lake Maggiore levels. The move is intended to ease pressure on water supplies in northern Italy, where drought has reduced flows and raised risks for agriculture—especially rice irrigation. The additional discharge is planned to rise from roughly 3 to 8 cubic metres per second, with coordination between Swiss and Italian authorities through bilateral consultation mechanisms.