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A complex territory that deserves scientific attention

The Veneto-Friulian coastal strip has always been a delicate crossroads between freshwater and brackish water, a dynamic balance involving rivers, lagoons, canals and the sea. Managing this system — essential for agriculture, hydraulic safety, and water supply — requires scientific tools capable of reading reality with accuracy and continuity.

In recent years, increasing climatic variability, rising salinity in groundwater, and human pressure on water resources have highlighted the urgency of adopting more advanced monitoring technologies, capable not only of measuring but also of predicting and simulating.

From real-world experience to a new scenario

We have already implemented a concrete example: the project between Caorle and Bibione made it possible to collect reliable data on flow rates and water behavior at inlets and outlets along the lagoon canals.

Thanks to the use of high-precision Doppler instruments, that project provided key insights into water dynamics and salinity balances, supporting local authorities in planning protection measures.

A new proposal for the Brenta and Southern Lagoon

In light of the results obtained, we believe it is strategic to extend this methodology to the area between the mouth of the Brenta River, the Chioggia dams, and Caroman Island. This is a zone of great hydrological interest, where freshwater and seawater flows interact in complex and little-known ways, with significant implications for sediment transport, water quality, and water availability for irrigation and human consumption.

The proposed project includes the use of:

• Submerged side-looking Doppler instruments, capable of covering sections up to 120 meters wide and continuously measuring velocity across the full cross-section;
• ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) for 3D profiling of currents in deeper or variable-flow areas;
• Non-invasive laser sensors to measure surface velocity in river channels, even in low-depth or hard-to-access conditions.

All collected data would be managed by a real-time transmission system and integrated into a predictive hydrodynamic model, updatable, scalable, and accessible remotely, serving as a digital twin of the hydraulic system.

What is the purpose of a digital twin of the water environment?

This type of modeling, already successfully adopted in industrial and infrastructure contexts, enables:

• anticipating critical scenarios (e.g., saltwater intrusion, extreme events, failures in water balance);
• optimizing operational decisions in resource management (e.g., irrigation and drinking water use, withdrawals, mobile barriers);
• providing a scientific dashboard to support public authorities, consortia, and territorial managers.

Investing today in a digital vision of water means ensuring greater safety, efficiency, and sustainability for future generations.