Collaboration between the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and the Hydrographic Institute for the bathymetric survey of Lake Garda

(To Marina Militare)
15/05/19

The activities of the collaboration project between the Hydrographic Institute of the Marina (IIM) and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of the Brescia office have restarted, for the study and research of the depths of Lake Garda and Subalpine Lakes, named "Accurate Climate Change Unified Risk Assessment for Territory and Environment in sub-alpine lakes - (ACCURATE)". The project involves the execution of the bathymetric survey of the entire Lake Garda for the development, in the field of scientific research, of the model-numerical analysis of the morphology of the seabed aimed at creating an accurate simulation of the motion of the waters in relation to climatic events. extremes that could cause danger to the population or to coastal structures.

During the press conference held last day 8 May at the headquarters of the Catholic University of Brescia, the start of the 2019 campaign was therefore formalized, attended by the principal of the faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, prof. Maurizio Paolini, the ACCURATE project manager, prof. Alfredo Marzocchi, the expedition leader, Lieutenant Lieutenant Roberto Aleo and the Head of the Hydrography Office, Lieutenant Enrico Zanone, both of the IIM.

From an accurate bathymetric you can simulate the deep and superficial currents, creating a model on the motion of the water, on its temperature, on the waves, on the spread of bacteria, pollutants and algae. "From the first data provided to us by the Naval Hydrographic Institute - underlines prof. Marzocchi during the press conference - a more complex image of Garda is emerging than expected. A geological structure with craters, canyons, furrows, landslides never seen before. The data of the Navy are the fundamental infrastructure of the project " . Professor Marzocchi concludes with "Our thanks go to the Navy, without this availability we certainly could not have started the project".

Today, 15 May, the project, with the first surveys and data collected, will be presented at a press conference at the Fermi high school in Salò.

For the execution of the aforementioned hydrographic surveys, a boat of the Hydrographic Institute of the Navy (MBf1213) is used, equipped with a multibeam sounder in configuration dual-head, able to guarantee high resolution, accuracy and precision in data acquisition.

Throughout the month of May, the team of hydrographers specialists composed of the expedition leader, the head of 1acl. Giuseppe De Salvo, the sub-head of 1acl chosen Daniele Bruno and the second head Daniele De Benedetti will operate with headquarters in Manerba and Sirmione for the coverage of the South-West area of ​​the lake (area of ​​the gulfs of Manerba and Desenzano up to the peninsula of Sirmione and Punta San Vigilio). Subsequently the reliefs will move to Lazise for the completion of the eastern area of ​​the lake (the area between Torre del Benaco and Bardolino).

Last year the North and West sections were covered for a total of 15.126 Km2. The completion of the entire survey will presumably take place during the 2020.

The detection of the seabed will also contribute to the safety of navigation and to the protection of the lake environment by updating the databases and the relative cartography and non-systematic updating of the IIM portfolio (Carta Batimetrica n. 862 - Lake Garda - Benaco , 1 scale: 50.000).