1. The hydrological risk and the problems and
activities of the
“Consorzio 1 Toscana
Nord”

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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

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

11. 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%

12. 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

13. Water ways of the
hydrogrphic Basin under
the jurisdiction of the ex
Consorzio di Bonifica

14. And extra-ordinary
Some of the ordinary
maintenance activities

15. 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

16. Deviation of the river: Fossa Nuova in the
Padule (marshlands) of Porcari
Expansion frame in case of floods

17. 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

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.