Adige Floods and Erosion Risks as Authorities Monitor Rising Water Levels
On the Adige River, authorities continue to grapple with record floods, erosions, landslides, and concerns. After a night spent by technicians from the Magistrato alle acque and the Protezione Civile closely monitoring the river’s critical points, yesterday in the Lower Valley (Bassa), waves of an exceptional character were still anticipated. Increasingly alarming events, considering that the water containment capacity of the banks is gradually decreasing, although at least for the recent flood passing through Friday night into Saturday, the Veronese area could count on decisive assistance. The opening of the Adige-Garda tunnel, which connects the river to the lake in the Rovereto-Torbole stretch, was decided on Friday at 6 pm by the Protezione Civile of the Provincia autonoma di Trento. It allowed a discharge of 100 cubic meters per second of water and, more importantly, helped to break the pace of the flood thanks to turbulence caused by the conduit in the Adige. “Once again,” confirms Gianni Sambugaro, Hydraulic Officer of the Magistrato alle acque, “the Garda tunnel has proven to be a formidable safety valve capable of protecting not only the city of Verona but also the Basso Veronese. This effect is achieved thanks to the water draw from the conduit, which manages to disrupt the flow of the river.”
If the nocturnal flood, certainly the highest of recent days, passed without major damage—aside from the worsening of already known crisis situations such as bank collapses and erosion—the situation worsened during yesterday. This was especially true as cases multiplied where trees growing within the riverbed were uprooted and carried away by the current. This situation is particularly concerning because when trees are taken away, they carry substantial portions of bank soil, opening the way for water to cause significant erosions along the banks. The arrival of the next flood wave late in the morning further worsened the situation at the Maestro alle Acque bank at Scardevara di Ronco all’Adige. Just downstream, increasingly substantial landslides of the floodplain occurred, reducing the shoreline by several meters within hours, to the point that the apple trees planted there were disappearing row after row. Meanwhile, the other critical points, which are now under continuous surveillance—Porto di Legnago and Nichesola e Begosso di Terrazzo—continued to degrade gradually but steadily. “Both the Magistrato alle Acque and the Protezione Civile,” Sambugaro explained yesterday morning, “are ready to intervene if necessary. Unfortunately, the effects of ongoing weather conditions still need assessment. While we are managing this flood, it is still raining in Trentino, and if this situation persists for long, we could face new water level rises tonight or on Sunday.”
This recurring situation over recent days is increasing the hazards, as water is reaching downstream reservoirs that are becoming increasingly saturated. Containing it with embankments is becoming more problematic, since, soaked from continuous rainfall and under persistent pressure, they have now reduced in integrity at various points. Luca Fiorin