The Po Plain is home to approximately 20 million people and serves as Italy's most important economic region. Beneath its surface lies a complex multi-aquifer alluvial system that supplies 87% of the region’s drinking water and plays a crucial role in industrial, agricultural, and general production demands. Beyond the pressures of groundwater extraction, climate-related stressors have altered recharge rates, with drought events becoming increasingly frequent and severe in recent years. However, the impact of these stresses on groundwater has never been systematically studied in the Po River Basin.
As part of the MIDASPO project*, piezometric data were collected over 13 years (2010–2022) at various depths across the Po Plain, ranging from ground level to several hundreds of m a.s.l. This period was chosen as it provides sufficient coverage for piezometric monitoring across the studied area.
Data homogenization and an in-depth evaluation of temporal coverage allowed for the selection of several hundred of high-quality time series from an initial dataset of over 1000. These series were then analyzed to identify long-term trends, seasonal variations, and potential change points.
The analysis provided a comprehensive overview of piezometric dynamics at different depths across the Po Plain. Some trends were consistent across the entire study area, while others varied by geographic region or depth. By examining these patterns in relation to key anthropogenic and natural stressors, the study offers valuable insights into potential future groundwater behavior.

*This work was funded by “Fondo per lo Sviluppo e la Coesione (FSC) 2014-2020 - Piano Operativo Ambiente - Interventi per la Tutela del Territorio e delle Acque - Sviluppo di modellistica idrogeologica e delle conoscenze di supporto al piano del bilancio delle acque sotterranee (Modello idrogeologico delle Acque Sotterranee del distretto idrografico del fiume Po – MidAS-Po)”.