The Firenzuola reservoir (catchment 24 km2) is located on the River Marroggia, in a limestone mountain area in the Umbria-Marche Apennines of Central Italy. The dam, completed in 1962, was built for purposes of flood control and irrigation-water storage. The hydrogeological budget shows that part of the water reaches a regional karstic system: some of the water of the catchment supplies a very large high-salinity karstic spring about 30 km away from the dam. The climatic data indicate that rainfall is decreasing, consistently with the Western Mediterranean regional climatic trend. The water budget indicates that the current water yield is lower than predicted with reference to the climate data at the time of planning the reservoir. Some future scenarios have been developed on the basis of the hydrogeological set up and the detected trends, considering the hypothesis that they will continue for the next few decades: all the scenarios indicate that the yield of the basin is likely to decrease. In order to minimize the impact of the foreseeable climate change, it is necessary to review in depth the water and reservoir management plans as well as those for exploitation of the groundwater in the area.
Climate Change and Water Resources in Limestone and Mountain Areas: the case of Firenzuola Lake (Umbria, Italy).
DI MATTEO, Lucio;DRAGONI, Valter Ulderico
2006
Abstract
The Firenzuola reservoir (catchment 24 km2) is located on the River Marroggia, in a limestone mountain area in the Umbria-Marche Apennines of Central Italy. The dam, completed in 1962, was built for purposes of flood control and irrigation-water storage. The hydrogeological budget shows that part of the water reaches a regional karstic system: some of the water of the catchment supplies a very large high-salinity karstic spring about 30 km away from the dam. The climatic data indicate that rainfall is decreasing, consistently with the Western Mediterranean regional climatic trend. The water budget indicates that the current water yield is lower than predicted with reference to the climate data at the time of planning the reservoir. Some future scenarios have been developed on the basis of the hydrogeological set up and the detected trends, considering the hypothesis that they will continue for the next few decades: all the scenarios indicate that the yield of the basin is likely to decrease. In order to minimize the impact of the foreseeable climate change, it is necessary to review in depth the water and reservoir management plans as well as those for exploitation of the groundwater in the area.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
