L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 6 decades ago. The is s ue w as traced back to gr oundw ater extraction that was summarily stopped. Other studies have sug- gested that the currents produced by water traffic and cruise ships are eroding building foundations or that natural soil erosion was to blame. Some even question if it is actually subsiding but a recent satellite study by the Uni- versity of Padua concluded that Venice is sinking naturally at the rate of about 1 millimeter per year due to the compaction of mud and sediment under the city. Human activities may also be causing further localized sub- sidence of up to 10 millimeters in some areas. To put this into context, parts of New Orleans are reported to be dropping by up to 2.5 centimeters or 1 inch per year due to oil and gas min- ing so natural Venetian subsi- dence might seem a little incon- sequential if it wasn't for one final global factor; climate change. And as Venice slowly sinks, climate change is raising sea lev- els across the globe. The lagoon once protected Venetians from their enemies but climate change is turning it against them creating a recipe for more frequent and more serious flooding. Italian studies estimate that the Mediter- ranean could rise by up to five feet by the end of the century. If this happens, instead of experi- encing severe flooding around half a dozen times a year, Vene- tians will have to get used to almost intolerable flooding twice a day, every day. Nature and climate change are conspiring against Venice, it seems. And each time the tide rises higher, saltwater breaches the stone foundations meant to protect buildings, infiltrating into the brickwork and slowly eating away at the fabric of the city. But, for all the doomsday predic- tions, there is one project that may just be the flickering light at the end of the very watery tunnel. Work on the Modulo Speri- mentale Elettromeccanico pro- gramme, known as MOSE, first started back in 1966 after Venice's worst floods ever. Venetian engineers had already strengthened and fortified the coastal islands of the Lido and Pellestrina with large Istrian- stone dams known as murazzi back in the 1750s, saving the city from large waves that could overtop the flat islands. Now their descendants were tasked with finding a way to close the three sea inlets when large tides approached – literally to hold back the tide. But to survive Venice needs tides to continue to flush the lagoon out every day. So to truly save the city the solu- tion had to be movable, allowing normal tides in and out and only stopping the highest ones. It's a monumental conundrum. After many years of research, proposals and feasibility studies, construction on MOSE finally started in 2003 with engineers laying concrete foundations at each of the three inlets into the lagoon: Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia to the south. Seventy- eight mammoth steel gates were then pre-fabricated off-site and brought to the strengthened quay- sides. Each one is a 92ft long and 65ft wide hollow box weighing an astonishing 300 tonnes. And despite their gargantuan size, they're designed to float. Gradually, engineers have del- icately craned each gate into place, seating each one into snug anchor sockets that enable the gates to pivot upwards, rising to the surface to form a barrier to the tide. Whilst at rest the gates are filled with water to weigh them down on the lagoon floor allowing water traffic to move freely in and out of the inlet. As a tidal surge approaches com- pressed air is released into each gate, making them buoyant and raising them into their active, upright positions. But, in order to keep the lagoon alive, MOSE will only be raised on specific occasions when tides reach 110 centimeters (43 inches) or more, not for anything less, so the city will still flood in the lowest lying areas like St Mark's and the Rial- to, but will be protected from the worst of the worst. If MOSE had finished as orig- inally projected, it would have protected Venice from the enor- mous surges last month. Sadly it's been the subject of corruption charges against the mayor and several city officials who faced fines, jail time or both. It's also reported to already be rusting, to still be a year or two off being ready and to be way over budget at €5 or €6 billion, depending on which outraged report you read. But thankfully each week MOSE edges closer to being operational. Since the Great flood of 1966 the frequency of tides over 110 centimeters has doubled each decade. Venetians have put in domestic flood protection or have moved their home life up from the ground floor to the first floor where they can escape the monotonous inundations. Shops and restaurants are casually accustomed to serving customers in waders as if it's normal. And tourists use duckboards to navi- gate the streets during acqua alta. It's a novelty for them and a story to take home, but for locals it's a centuries-old headache that's expected to get worse. So for all its faults, MOSE has got to work and although it's no magic wand, it will at least give Venice some breathing space to come up with a long-term solution. Fin- gers crossed. Venice is slowly sinking, while climate change is raising sea levels around the globe © Antonio Gravante | Dreamstime.com Nature and climate change are conspiring against Venice. Every time the tide rises higher, saltwater breaches the stone foundation of the city's buildings © Antonio Gravante | Dreamstime.com NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Continued from page 4

• Cover