The effects of in-stream gravel mining on river incision: an example from Central Adriatic Italy

Abstract

The present paper shows the consequences of intense human activities carried out along the river beds mostly during the XX century. There have been many attempts to quantitatively correlate river incision and suspended/bed load reduction following the construction of river dams, while there are few approaches that take into account the effects of gravel quarrying from the river beds. Using data from several rivers of central and northern Italy and in Europe, a new simple empirical relation, was formulated in order to establish a possible relation between the fluvial erosion capacity consequent to quarrying and the amount of fluvial incision. The preliminary results are very encouraging even though, due to the limited number of available data, the relation needs to be further tested.

Landslide Hazard Assessment in a Monoclinal Setting (Central Italy): Numerical vs. Geomorphological Approach

“…A gravitational movement of greatest scientific and technical interest, given the elevated level of risk connected to the presence of the historical centers mentioned in the previous chapter, is present corresponding to the relief of Mount Falcone (Figure 4). This phenomenon, already studied in the past and verified by numerical modeling both in static and dynamic (seismic) conditions [34,35,58], has been classified as lateral spread and affects, with different intensity, the whole "plate" at the top of the relief. Taking into account the objectives of the present work (mainly addressing the study of medium-to-low depth processes), it was not included in the analysis.…”

“…The constants m b , s and a are usually calculated starting from the evaluation of the geological strength index (GSI) of the rock mass [55][56][57][58][59]. The GSI is a system of rock-mass characterization particularly suitable for use in engineering rock mechanics and input into numerical analysis; through a visual assessment of the geological characters of the rock material, it allows the prediction of the rock-mass strength and deformability.…”

Impacts of in‐stream aggregate mining on the distributary channels of the alluvial fans of Tafí valley (Northwest Argentina)

“…Under such circumstances the headcutting can migrate several kilometres upstream (Aringoli et al, 2015;Kondolf, 1994;Kondolf et al, 2001), because the base level of the tributaries of La Puerta…”

“…The equilibrium profile of La Puerta River is severely affected by the excavation of large pits resulting in a locally steeper gradient, which increases the stream power, eroding the riverbed. Under such circumstances the headcutting can migrate several kilometres upstream (Aringoli et al, 2015; Kondolf, 1994; Kondolf et al, 2001), because the base level of the tributaries of La Puerta River is artificially lowered. This process can trigger a general degradation of the basin (Costea, 2018), although if the stream bed becomes armoured, the erosion is limited (Dietrich et al, 1989).…”

A combined approach for a modern hydrogeological mapping: the case study of Tennacola stream catchment (central Apennine, Italy)

“…The present landscape is characterized by the presence of medium-high reliefs (Figure 1). The fluvial system, generated deep and narrow valleys bordered by steep slopes: in this context, rare and thin are the continental deposits, almost always associated to periglacial, gravitational or fluvial morphogenesis (Aringoli et al, 2015).…”