900–1,100 mm/year · ref. ARPAE
Po Valley: industrial irrigation versus evaporation
In Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy, large storage basins, WWTP lagoons and rice ponds lose significant volumes to passive evaporation.
Local hydric context
Vercellese rice farming, dairy agro-industry and municipalities along the Po: large storage works exposed to summer sun.
Orders of magnitude
15,000 m² at 1,000 mm/year loses 15,000 m³. With 88% cover, over 13,000 m³ are preserved.
Technical solution
Modular HDPE cover: less evaporation, fewer surface algae and stronger sanitary compliance for municipal and industrial reserves.
Indicative estimate — ARPAE sources. See Methodology.