GREEN SPONGE – Growing Resilient Ecosystems and Landscapes through Sponge Measures, Italy

The coastal Tuscany Cornia River watershed, Italy, spans about 600 km² and features a torrential regime with flood events, extended dry periods, and insufficient urban drainage. These issues result in frequent flash floods. The Cornia River originates from the Metalliferous Hills at an altitude of 875 meters above sea level. The watershed is hydrologically divided into two areas. The headwater catchment, which is forested and experiences higher rainfall. The coastal plain is predominantly agricultural, where the Cornia River has been embanked and rectified. A dense drainage network and secondary channels dominate the plain area, with most of them dry for large part of the year. In the area, Campiglia Marittima, Piombino, and Suvereto are the most important municipalities. Agricultural activities such as cereal, vegetable, and olive cultivation dominate the region. This supports a thriving processing industry that produces high-quality oil, renowned wine, and cash crops.
The lower Cornia valley aquifer system (Tuscany, Italy) provides the only source of water for drinking, irrigation, and industrial purposes, and it also contributes to the water needs of the nearby Elba Island. For 60 years, intensive exploitation of groundwater resulted in consistent head lowering and water balance deficit. This caused subsidence, reduction of groundwater-dependent ecosystems, and salinization of freshwater resources.