CS#8 - Sustainable river restoration, maintenance and management in Italy

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This case study consists of a Demonstrator Site. It does not have any Follower Site.

DS#8 - "Venice" (Italy)

The case study in 5 minutes

Location

The demonstration site, the Venice Lagoon Basin, is located in the Veneto region in northeast Italy.

© The hydrographic network at the border of Venice Lagoon. Blue: rivers flowing inside the lagoon; Red: “Acque Risorgive” Land Reclamation Consortium competence area.

Description of the area

Biogeographical region: Continental
Veneto ranks 2nd in Italy for soil consumption
Drainage basin: 2,000 km² → 1,000 km² studied in NATALIE
Drainage network: ~2,300 km of streams
Region: Rural/agricultural, yet densely urbanized
Policy engagement: Veneto Region signed the EU Mission Charter on Adaptation

Climatic Challenges

Climatic

Planned activities

The Italian case study is currently experiencing a very positive phase: all activities are progressing according to the planned schedule, and the fieldwork has officially begun. The preliminary monitoring activities, essential for gathering data on the current state of the intervention area, have all been completed. In particular, the following have been carried out: topographic surveys, biodiversity monitoring (including birds, odonates, butterflies and vegetation), mapping of coypu burrows and characterization of the flow regime of the Pianton stream.

Moreover, thanks to measurements taken during several rainfall events, it was possible to calibrate a stage-discharge curve.

The topography of the site has been accurately documented through both ground-based surveys and the use of drones, enabling a fruitful collaboration with the Laboratorio di Geomatica of the IUAV University of Venice, the Veneto Region, and the Regional Environmental Protection Agency (ARPAV).

Another significant step forward concerns the acquisition of the intervention areas, which has now been completed. This made it possible to start the widening works on the Pianton stream, involving a modification of the bank geometry to improve flow and ecological function.

Stakeholder engagement activities are also ongoing. In July 2024, a Focus Group dedicated to stakeholders in the agricultural sector was launched. In November, the first workshop for the creation of the Transformation Labs took place in the Municipality of Mogliano Veneto. During this workshop, the groundwork was laid to develop a cost-benefit analysis for the entire project.

A second workshop will soon be organized to further encourage local stakeholder involvement. Meanwhile, on-site activities will continue with planting operations.

Progress

The Italian case study is currently experiencing a very positive phase: all activities are progressing according to the planned schedule, and the fieldwork has officially begun. The preliminary monitoring activities, essential for gathering data on the current state of the intervention area, have all been completed. In particular, the following have been carried out: topographic surveys, biodiversity monitoring (including birds, odonates, butterflies and vegetation), mapping of coypu burrows and characterization of the flow regime of the Pianton stream.

Moreover, thanks to measurements taken during several rainfall events, it was possible to calibrate a stage-discharge curve.

The topography of the site has been accurately documented through both ground-based surveys and the use of drones, enabling a fruitful collaboration with the Laboratorio di Geomatica of the Iuav University of Venice, the Veneto Region, and the Regional Environmental Protection Agency (ARPAV).

Another significant step forward concerns the acquisition of the intervention areas, which has now been completed. This made it possible to start the widening works on the Pianton stream, involving a modification of the bank geometry to improve flow and ecological function.

Stakeholder engagement activities are also ongoing. In July 2024, a Focus Group dedicated to stakeholders in the agricultural sector was launched. In November, the first workshop for the creation of the Transformation Labs took place in the Municipality of Mogliano Veneto. During this workshop, the groundwork was laid to develop a cost-benefit analysis for the entire project.

A second workshop will soon be organized to further encourage local stakeholder involvement. Meanwhile, on-site activities will continue with planting operations.

Ambition

Ambition during the project

NBS will be in place probably at the end of the second year, so at the end of the project, experience will be gained about the land acquisition procedure. Moreover, the monitoring the evolution of the site for at least a couple of years will provide evidence-based on the measure effectiveness and workers will have gained a new know how. Moreover, the solution will have been discussed with several stakeholders, mainly farmers association, hence increasing the social acceptance of the NBS implemented.

Ambition after the project

Implemented NBS will continue their function and the institution in charge of the maintenance will keep on carrying out the task, also to monitor the frequency needed for maintenance also in the medium-long term.

Questions

“Solutions inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience.” European Commission, 2015

Not necessarily. The renaturalization of watercourses is a fundamental element to recover the territory's capacity to resist extreme events such as drought and floods. Thus, maintaining a small vegetated strip at the height of the water flow plane as well as planting some local shrub species favours the increase of the territory's resilience and does not prevent the regular flow of water. Furthermore, the careful arrangement of the tree-shrub vegetation in the riverbed allows for all maintenance activities, even extraordinary ones, as it does not hinder the operation of the vehicles.