Case study:Zero river restoration project
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Project overview
Status | Complete |
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Project web site | |
Themes | Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity, Land use management - agriculture, Land use management - forestry, Monitoring, Social benefits, Water quality |
Country | Italy |
Main contact forename | Paolo |
Main contact surname | Cornelio |
Main contact user ID | |
Contact organisation | p.cornelio@acquerisorgive.it |
Contact organisation web site | http://http://www.acquerisorgive.it/ |
Partner organisations | |
Parent multi-site project | |
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects |
No |
Project summary
The Consorzio di Bonifica Acque Risorgive (drainage authority) is located within the pumped drainage landscape of the Venice Lagoon. The Consorzio was involved in a big project aimed at developing a catchment strategy to reduce nutrient loads entering the Venice Lagoon from its rivers. To achieve this goal, the Consorzio planned a major river restoration project for the Zero River, which drains into the lagoon.
The main restoration actions carried out regarded: banks widening, increase of aquatic vegetation on river terraces, creation of lateral and inflow wetland (ponds and lakes) and creation of wooded riparian area irrigated by river water.
Within this project a pilot experimental system was built along the Zero River, to evaluate in particular the buffering efficiency of the wooded areas on non-point pollution sources of nitrogen.
On the experimental site, represented by a newly-established riparian woodland, the hydrology of the woodland is totally regulated through a series of pumps which irrigate the woodland with water coming from Zero River, through a series of parallel ditches (irrigation and drainage ditches).
The results of this study provided interesting suggestions for improving the management of riparian buffer zones.
Monitoring surveys and results
Lessons learnt
Catchment and subcatchment
Edit the catchment and subcatchment details
(affects all case studies in this subcatchment)
Catchment
River basin district | Alpi Orientali |
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River basin | Bacino scolante della Laguna di Venezia |
Subcatchment
River name | Bacino scolante della Laguna di Venezia |
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Area category | 1000 - 10000 km² |
Area (km2) | 2,0382,038 km² <br />203,800 ha <br /> |
Maximum altitude category | 100 - 200 m |
Maximum altitude (m) | |
Dominant geology | |
Ecoregion | Italy and Corsica |
Dominant land cover | Intensive agriculture (arable) |
Waterbody ID |
Other case studies in this subcatchment: Pagana canal restoration project, Rio San Martino and Piovega di Scandolara restoration project, Rio Sant'Ambrogio restoration project, Salzano wetland and Marzenego river restoration project, Scolo Desolino restoration project
Site
Name | Zero river |
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WFD water body codes | 673_32 |
WFD (national) typology | |
WFD water body name | Zero river |
Pre-project morphology | Artificial channel |
Reference morphology | Low gradient passively meandering |
Desired post project morphology | |
Heavily modified water body | Yes |
National/international site designation | |
Local/regional site designations | |
Protected species present | Yes |
Invasive species present | Yes |
Species of interest | |
Dominant hydrology | Groundwater |
Dominant substrate | Clay |
River corridor land use | Intensive agriculture (arable) |
Average bankfull channel width category | 10 - 50 m |
Average bankfull channel width (m) | |
Average bankfull channel depth category | 2 - 5 m |
Average bankfull channel depth (m) | |
Mean discharge category | 1 - 10 m³/s |
Mean annual discharge (m3/s) | |
Average channel gradient category | 0.001 - 0.01 |
Average channel gradient | |
Average unit stream power (W/m2) |
Project background
Reach length directly affected (m) | 7,0007,000 m <br />7 km <br />700,000 cm <br /> |
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Project started | 1999 |
Works started | |
Works completed | |
Project completed | 2004/01/01 |
Total cost category | 5000 - 10000 k€ |
Total cost (k€) | 7,2307,230 k€ <br />7,230,000 € <br /> |
Benefit to cost ratio | |
Funding sources | Veneto Region - “Piano per la prevenzione dell’inquinamento ed il risanamento delle acque del bacino idrografico immediatamente sversante in Laguna – Piano Direttore 2000” |
Cost for project phases
Phase | cost category | cost exact (k€) | Lead organisation | Contact forename | Contact surname |
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Investigation and design | |||||
Stakeholder engagement and communication | |||||
Works and works supervision | |||||
Post-project management and maintenance | |||||
Monitoring |
Reasons for river restoration
Measures
Structural measures
| |
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Bank/bed modifications | Bed enlargement |
Floodplain / River corridor | Creation and riconnection of floodplain and new buffer strips |
Planform / Channel pattern | Channel widening |
Other | Creation of in-stream wetland and connection with an out-stream wetland |
Non-structural measures
| |
Management interventions | Adoption of new practices for acquatic vegetation management ; punping water to an adjacent newly afforested riparian buffer for nitrogen and phosphorous removal |
Social measures (incl. engagement) | Involvement of farmers in buffer strips plantation ; education of students |
Other |
Monitoring
Hydromorphological quality elements
Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
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Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative |
Biological quality elements
Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
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Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative |
Physico-chemical quality elements
Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
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Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative |
Any other monitoring, e.g. social, economic
Element | When monitored | Type of monitoring | Control site used | Result | ||
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Before measures | After measures | Qualitative | Quantitative |
Monitoring documents
Image gallery
Additional documents and videos
Additional links and references
Link | Description |
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Supplementary Information
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