Drought alert: "The Cuga River is nearly empty, 69 percent of its water has been lost."

"Lake Cuga is almost empty." This was the complaint made yesterday at a press conference in Bancali by Tore Piana, president of the Agricultural Studies Center, and Stefano Ruggiu, vice president. "As of June 17, 2026," they stated in a statement citing data from ENAS and the Sardinia Hydrographic District, "it is now close to exhausting its water resources. Official data updated to June 16 show that the reservoir holds just 5.17 million cubic meters of water, compared to the 17.19 million cubic meters recorded in February 2026." According to Piana and Ruggiu, 69% of the reservoir's water has been lost.

"This is an absolutely disastrous situation that is causing panic among the farmers of Nurra," they report. The CSA representatives are asking, among other questions, why ENAS allowed the lake to empty and where the water was stored during the winter months. The situation appears critical also because the farmers are currently cultivating their summer crops . "It is unacceptable to arrive at the height of the irrigation season without any certainty about the availability of water," they report.

The Cuga problem is compounded by the wait for compensation to Nurra farmers following the 2025 drought. "The Sardinia Region had announced and allocated approximately €8 million to support affected farms," the statement continues, "but to date, the funds have not yet arrived." The Agricultural Studies Center concludes by calling on the Region to "take immediate action to reassure farmers regarding the transfer of water from the Temo to the Cuga," to "request ENAS to immediately open the floodgates and transfer the water by next week," and to proceed with the payment of compensation.