BININI PARTNERS

The Po River waterway system

A project to improve navigation along the Po from Cremona to the Adriatic Sea

Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria

A preliminary project and study to improve navigation along the Po River from Cremona to the Adriatic Sea with an in-depth study of solid transport and hydraulic safety relating to the comparison to the free current optimisation and arrangement projects
The Po 365 study made an in-depth analysis starting from the ideas for modifying the Po River from Cremona to the Adriatic with the aim of improving navigation, safety measures for the bordering areas and adding environmental value to the most important Italian river, the fourth in Europe.
The work came from a request by AIPO (Agenzia Internazionale per il Po – the International Agency for the Po River) in Parma on behalf of the regions along the river and the EU and was assigned to a group of experts which included Etatec, Binini Partners, Beta Studio, RPA and Studio Paoletti.
In this group, BININI Partners, thanks to its many years of experience, was responsible in particular for river and navigation aspects as well as environmental impact and the modification of the infrastructures for the possible work on the great river.
The study compared the ideas of “optimisation and basin creation” and “free flowing” by verifying feasibility, costs and achievements with the different methods, identifying impacts and consequent opportunities. The regional authorities, based on the results of this study will be able to work with each other and the national Government and the Eu on the next steps to be taken.
The first method used in the various mountain sections of the main rivers in Europe (Danube, Rhine, Rodano etc ) includes great barriers between Cremona and Mantua to maintain the necessary levels to create the basins required for modern tourist and commercial navigation, transforming the river into a series of regulated basins.
The second method on the Po, considering the optimal characteristics of low difference in altitude levels and the flow rate, includes the regulation of the shallow bed which can help create the necessary basins by concentrating the main current during periods with less flow thus maintaining the water flow with a lower impact intervention.

Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria

The need to define a strategic intervention program is crucial to reacquire the navigational characteristics that are required for the development of a river-way tourist industry in the whole Po Valley. This is also an essential condition to reduce the costs and polluting emissions that come from road transport, but above all to assure the safety situation of the waterway and bring out the best in the environmental situation in the great river.
The technical and scientific considerations following the study showed a preference for the “free flow system”. Indeed, based on the hydraulic models elaborated, the free flow system can guarantee basins of 2\2,5 meters, the depth required for commercial navigation, for 300\340 days a year. This would take the performance of the Po up to, if not higher than, the levels of the Rhine and Danube, where in many areas there is only a depth of 1.70/1.90 meters, while still guaranteeing an annual flow of goods of tens of millions of tonnes. The free flow is also a method that respects and adds value to the current form of the river, by intervening only on the lower levels of flow by correcting the anomalies in the flow decrease and the increase in the flood plains that it occupies at every flood, improving safety levels at the same time. Indeed defending the base of the banks means increased safety during floods. The work, furthermore, could be done with the natural materials from the river itself, by reopening oxbow lakes, section remodelling and the creation of wet river areas.
The estimated costs are relatively limited and could go from 300/400 million Euros for the first intervention to 600/650 with an estimated time of 4/5 years. This is to be compared to the 2.5 billion price tag for the optimisation costs with which you also have to consider the high environmental impact and the difficulty of the intervention. Indeed the timing could go in this case from a minimum of 12/15 years to 15/18.
The free flow option also helps to maintain the river by using light, consolidated operative techniques, mostly with materials from public lands and that have already been tested on the river.
It is moreover a program of minute, flexible and widespread works along the whole course of the river (transverse or longitudinal gabions and obstructions) which can be easily created and perfected very flexibly over time.

Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria

The Po River waterway system


Client
:
AIPO – Agenzia Interregionale per il fiume Po – Parma (international agency for the Po River)
The region of Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Veneto
Co-financed by the European Union

Year of execution:
2015 – 2016

Performed service level:
Preliminary design, hydraulic and solid transport modelling

Estimated project costs:
Free flow € 600/650.000.000,00
Optimisation € 2.500.000.000

River length:
330 Km

RTI delegated:
Etatec S.r.l., head of group (40%)
Binini Partners S.r.l. (25%)
Beta Studio S.r.l. (25%)
RPA, (7%)
Studio Paoletti Ingegneri Associati (3%)

Project/service signatory technicians:
Eng. Tiziano Binini,Eng. Gianluca Lombardi, , Eng. Elena Morini, Eng. Ed. Arch. Francesco Debenedittis

Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria
Sistema idroviario del Po, Binini Partners, Società di architettura e ingegneria

The Po River waterway system
A project to improve navigation along the Po from Cremona to the Adriatic Sea