Monitoring Water Reservoirs in Southern Italy and Fighting Water Scarcity

Abstract

Sicily faces increasing challenges in managing its water resources due to growing water shortages, driven by climate change, irregular rainfall patterns, and aging or inefficient infrastructure. These issues are particularly critical for the agricultural sector, which is highly dependent on stable and predictable water availability. This study analyzes high-resolution datasets on precipitation and reservoir storage collected over the past two decades. The primary objective is to quantify water losses associated with declining rainfall and reduced reservoir levels, in order to support the evaluation of adaptive strategies, such as infrastructure improvements and the potential integration of desalination technologies.