Recent subsidence of the Venice Lagoon from continuous GPS and interferometric synthetic aperture radar

Recent research reveals that the Venice Lagoon is experiencing significant subsidence, with northern regions sinking at 2–3 mm/year and southern areas at 3–4 mm/year. Contrary to earlier assumptions, the city of Venice itself continues to subside at 1–2 mm/year, defying past suggestions of stabilization. Using a combination of GPS data from four stations (2001–2011) and InSAR observations from RADARSAT-1 images (2003–2007), the study identifies an eastward tilt in subsidence, with natural geological processes contributing at least 0.4–0.6 mm/year. This high-resolution analysis, precise to 0.1–0.2 mm/year, underscores the need for flood mitigation strategies to account for both local subsidence and rising sea levels.

Bock, Y., Wdowinski, S., Ferretti, A., Novali, F., & Fumagalli, A. (2012). Recent subsidence of the Venice Lagoon from continuous GPS and interferometric synthetic aperture radar. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 13(3). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011gc003976