The hydrological risk and the problems and

activities of the

“Consorzio 1 Toscana

Nord”

Limited availability for water:

Meteorological phenomena

Irregular distribution

Pollution increase

Meteorological changes

Demographic growth

Changes in habits, customs and uses

Advent of different needs

Economical expansion

Excessive pumping and use

Subsidence

shrinkingl-swelling

sinkholes

Floods

Environmental problems of the

Territory , particularly of the Eastern

part of the Plain

Subsidence

This phenomenon is generally caused by

geological features, but in the last

decade it has been locally increased by

the work of man.

Subsidence consists in a slow sinking

process of a layer of soil, this can

involve areas of different sizes.

The phenomenon affects the locality of Pollino (Porcari and of the Cerbaie (Bientina.

The sinking of the water layer is progressive and gradual in time but irreversible because the

annual rain water is not enough to compensate the water loss. In this way the alluvial areas which

before were reached by the water layer during the year, always remain dry. They become

compacted and make the ground drop irreversibly, with damages to buildings that are no longer

adequate to the new context.

Evolution of the sinking of the

land in the Padule of Bientina

(Lucca) in the years 1992-2007.

Taken from the PS data and

elaborated according to the

APSA technique

Autorità di Bacino del fiume Arno

Pollino (Porcari) e Cerbaie (Bientina

The shrinkingl-swelling which takes place between summer and autumn has natural causes, but

sometimes it can be increased if water is pumped out.

This phenomenon is typical of clays (vertiche) comes out when the water layer seasonally sways

internally, the layers of clay get wet and increase in volume like “sponges”. In summer the

opposite takes place, so the clays shrink. This shrinking-swelling of the clays follows a seasonal

swaying of the water layer.

The ground goes through reversible seasonal sinkings which can damage inadequate building.

These damages expand and retreat in a cyclic way in the course of the seasons.

shrinking-swelling

Variations in the percentage of water can provoke

swelling or shrinking of the ground.

The houses affected by this instability often present

flaws in the foundations or design.

The shrinking-swelling has been taking place in the fractions of Paganico, Pieve

San Paolo, Santa Margherita (Capannori ) and Rughi (Porcari) since the ‘80s.

The existence of a water table

and/or of underground circulation

of water.

The shrinking-swelling is different form

subsidence because the permanent layer

does not undergo water loss, so even if it

undergoes pumping, it is able to

increase seasonally , sometimes even to

ground level.

Sinkholes

The sinkholes originate in complex hydrogeological contexts of the territory and come about

for various reasons: earthquake, draught-rain, the pumping of great quantities of water and

the flooding of canals. The causes can be a lot and complementary. They are holes in the

ground which form because of drainage phenomena between layers that are one on top of the

other and superficial layers and irrigating canals. It is a matter of water streams mixed

between elements with different water levels, The waters, by moving, erode the ground

following an evolutionary sequence which ends up in a hole.

The holes

concern the

fraction of

Paganico

(Capannori).

M. Dell’Aringa et al.: Small sinkhole-like features in alluvial plains

The digging of wells for the municipal acqueduct

MORE MAIN

CAUSES

An absolute decrease in rainfall

A particular structure of the

ground

Birth of one of the vastest national industrial groups for the Production of Paper

A lot of private wells

Drought and rainfalls determine a lack of balance between the water table and the restrained one.

Demographic expansion

From recent studies it has emerged that the paper industries should take care of the sinkholes in Paganico so that:• The depression cones don’t reach the residential area.• The cones, deformed by the deep flow of the water layer are

deviated to the south. • The paper factories should be set in geological areas different

from that of Paganico. (areas without loam sands where these holes originate) . Because of this around the paper factories there can be local sinking or shrinking-swelling but not holes.

Ground cavities

EFFECTS

Strong lowering of the piezometric surface

Damages to buildings

Disapperance of numerous springs

Devaluation of estates and of building areas

An increase in the building costs in ugrading and

re-utilisation of old buildings

Migration to other parts of the territory

Fear among the residents

 1. The firm Acque Spa will have to decrease by 15% the drainage from the aqueduct of Paganico

Summary of the by-law of the Mayer of Capannori to reduce the pumping of water from the

underground water table and reduce the fenomeni idrogeologici del 7/02/2008 e lows del

Regolamento Urbanistico, D.C. n. 13 del 12.03.2009, n. 14 del 13.03.2009 e n. 15 del 16.03.200

2. It is forbidden to take local water either from the aqueduct or from superficial water or pumped from the underground water tables and transport it outside the municipal territory.

3. The inhabitants are invited to adopt useful measures to rationalise water, by applying specific reductions on taps so as to use less water in everyday household activities.

- 15%

5. Within 120 days the productive activity will have to be decreased by 30%.

4. The filling of private swimming pools, fountains and pools with water from the aqueduct or with water pumped directly from the water table are prohibited.

6. The Provincial administration is asked to suspend permits to pump water from underground on the whole territory, with the exception of those for domestic use and to check on the permits already issued

The Provincial administration and the firm Consorzio di Bonifica Auser-Bientina are asked to restore superficial water circulation in canals and water ways so as to restore the underground water table.

- 30%

Interventions on the waterways

with the function of:

Prevention activites

Safekeeping and maintenance of the public works of reclaiming

Supervision of private activities in the area.

Hydraulic security (water pumps, reclaiming canals), the management of irrigation waters.

Participation in town planning

Safeguard of the agricultural and environmental assets

The Consorzio di Bonifica Auser–Bientina now Consorzio 1 Tuscany North

Water ways of the

hydrogrphic Basin under

the jurisdiction of the ex

Consorzio di Bonifica

And extra-ordinary

Some of the ordinary maintenance activities

Wooden or cement

harnesses are positioned

across the water bed to

retain the coarse material

transported by water

(trunks, wood and rocks)

Torrente Picigiana, Massa Carrara

Monitoring the water ways. Maintenance of ditches and waterways

Rio Sanetta

Deviation of the river: Fossa Nuova in the Padule (marshlands) of Porcari

Expansion frame in case of floods 

Very expensive for the flow of the Rio

The bridge on Rio Casale

Strongly opposed and contested by residents

Dangerous for the lack of visibility

An impossible architectural barrier for those with special walkig needs, because of the steep slope and the

stairs which are the only walking access

why

Some of the activities of the Consorsio not approved by the residents and by the environmental associations:

Cementing the stream beds which increases the water flow in case of floods-.

The indiscriminate cutting of all the trees on the river banks which increases the risk of landslide

The indiscriminate cutting of the vegetation on the banks, in particular of swamp grasses , which help to maintain an environmental balance.

Omitting to gather the mowed grass on the road sides thus the blockage of the irrigation ditches which during the rainy seasons overflow.

Omitting to reactivate and take care of water and the environmental and the insufficient maintenance of the minor water network so as to guarantee the original output.

The lack of control on the maintenance of the minor ditches which makes irrigation of the land impossible with superficial water.

The lack of sensibility for all that is tradition and culture of the territory (people, cultivations, actions) which would contribute to a better environmental balance.

  

In the Northern part of Tuscany the Reclaiming Consorzi  along with those of

Versilia Massaciuccoli  and  Auser Bientina  were fused with the new authority called

«Toscana Nord 1».

                              New reclaiming projects

With the Consorzio Toscana Nord, the agricultural firms became the protagonists of the prevention activities due to hydraulic risks.

The guardian farmers can make their experience, competence and means available for everyone, in particular they can be a daily and constant presence in many areas of the district.

With the l.r. 79/2012 the Regional Government of Tuscany has started a reform for the field of

reclamation and defence of ground, it authorised the creation of 6

ReclamationConsorzi unite structures and competences of the existing 13 Consorzi and of

the 13 Municipal unions.

  Acque SpA

Is the organ that controls the integrated public water service for the citizens and

the economic activities

 

The duties of this organ are to guarantee a qualitative standard of the

aqueduct service and to extend in all the serviced area the drainage and

purification system which safeguards the environment and the citizens.

It controls the quality of the waters along the whole hydric cycle: aqueduct,

drainage and purification.