|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Thursday, 11 December 2008 19:50 |
|
Page 1 of 2 The Venetian lagoon, together with those of Marano and Grado, form part of a much larger shallow basin that extends down to Ravenna and Aquileia. This expanse was flooded at the end of the Ice Age by the convergence of rivers, swollen by melted snow from the Alps and Apennines.
Today it provides a natural and complex habitat to wetland flora and fauna spread over 58,660 hectares (234,640 acres) between the Cavallino coast to the northeast and the Lido and Chioggia to the southwest. Water levels are maintained by the sea: its tides constitute both an ever-present threat to the delicate make-up of the Venet¬ian lagoon while also providing its regular safeguard from stagnation. The sea merges with the canals' fresh water through three channels by the Lido, at Chioggia and Malamocco, where dikes were installed at the beginning of the century.
The mainland reaches out a finger towards Venice, and the gap is spanned by the Ponte della Liberta (Bridge of Liberty). Otherwise, the coast's ominous profile cast in reflection across the lagoon is that of industrial developments at Mestre and Porto Marghera. These have grown around the ageless waters of the Brenta Naviglio which, having run amongst Palladian villas, flows peacefully into the lagoon at Malcontenta. Other buildings betray the affluence of tourism: the modern Tessera airport and the prettified Jesolo, beach huts along the sandy beach stretch as far as Punta Sabbioni. In summer, crowds drawn through a tree-lined avenue to this natural "barrier" punctuated by the Lido di Jesolo, Cavallino, Ca' Savio, Treporti and Punta Sabbioni, are swollen by large numbers of campsites or the proliferation of other accommodation and, naturally, day-trippers from Venice which can be reached by vaporetto from Punto Sabbioni and Treporti.
An age-old problem
In the 12C, Europe enjoyed a long period of mild weather fol¬lowed by a noticeable rise in temperature; then came torrential rain that provoked high tides and flooding. The iver Brenta broke its banks and water flooded a large part of the lagoon, depositing silt, mud and detritus. Malaria broke out. The Republic of Venice tried to defend itself by placing palisades along he coast, diverting the course of the rivers and building great dykes, but the lagoon continued to pose a threat. Over the ensuing centuries (15C — 17C), major drainage programmes were mplemented that affected the Brenta, Piave, Livenza and Sile rivers.
|
|
Last Updated on Thursday, 11 December 2008 20:01 |
