Natural and Anthropic Constraints on Historical Morphological Dynamics in the Middle Stretch of the Po River (Northern Italy)

Laura Turconi (), Barbara Bono, Carlo Mambriani, Lucia Masotti, Fabio Stocchi and Fabio Luino
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Laura Turconi: National Research Council, Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, Strada delle Cacce 73, 10135 Turin, Italy
Barbara Bono: National Research Council, Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, Strada delle Cacce 73, 10135 Turin, Italy
Carlo Mambriani: Dipartimento di Ingegneria e Architettura, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 181/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
Lucia Masotti: Dipartimento di Culture e Civiltà, Università degli Studi di Verona, Viale dell’Università 4, 37129 Verona, Italy
Fabio Stocchi: Dipartimento di Ingegneria e Architettura, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 181/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
Fabio Luino: National Research Council, Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection, Strada delle Cacce 73, 10135 Turin, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-34

Abstract: Geo-historical information deduced from geo-iconographical resources, derived from extensive research and the selection of cartographies and historical documents, enabled the investigation of the natural and anthropic transformations of the perifluvial area of the Po River in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy). This territory, significant in terms of its historical, cultural, and environmental contexts, for centuries has been the scene of flood events. These have characterised the morphological and dynamic variability in the riverbed and relative floodplain. The close relationship between man and river is well documented: the interference induced by anthropic activity has alternated with the sometimes-damaging effects of river dynamics. The attention given to the fluvial region of the Po River and its main tributaries, in a peculiar lowland sector near Parma, is critical for understanding spatial–temporal changes contributing to current geo-hydrological risks. A GIS project outlined the geomorphological aspects that define the considerable variations in the course of the Po River (involving width reductions of up to 66% and length changes of up to 14%) and its confluences from the 16th to the 21st century. Knowledge of anthropic modifications is essential as a tool within land-use planning and enhancing community awareness in risk-mitigation activities and strategic management. This study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary geo-historical studies that are complementary in order to decode river dynamics in damaging flood events and latent hazards in an altered river environment.

Keywords: floodplain; historical geomorphology; historical geography; landscape history; flood risk; river flood conditioning; Po River; Italy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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