At least 20,000 hectares of farmland along the Po River, Italy's longest waterway, are facing crop failure caused by the worst drought in decades across the European continent this summer. The runoff of the Po, located in northern Italy, has dropped to historic lows, allowing sea water to enter the river system. Rice, planted along the riverside has shriveled up and died due to the high salinity of the water. Although the drought has eased following some rain in late August, experts remain concerned about serious biological issues along the Po River in the future if the weather remains hot.