Assessing hydrological effects of human interventions on coastal systems: numerical applications to the Venice Lagoon

Human interventions and sea level rise have significantly altered the hydrological dynamics of Venice Lagoon, reducing its flushing capacity and water renewal time. Research using hydrodynamic models revealed that between 1927 and 2002, while absolute water exchange with the sea increased, the daily fraction exchanged decreased, leading to a reduction in water renewal time from 11.9 to 10.8 days. Morphological changes over the past decade further extended this time by 0.5 days. Future scenarios project that Venice Lagoon will become more restricted due to rising sea levels and periodic closures during flooding events, exacerbating these trends and impacting ecological dynamics.

Ferrarin, C., Ghezzo, M., Umgiesser, G., Tagliapietra, D., Camatti, E., Zaggia, L., & Sarretta, A. (2013). Assessing hydrological effects of human interventions on coastal systems: numerical applications to the Venice Lagoon. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 17(5), 1733–1748. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1733-2013