Short-term simulations under winter conditions in the lagoon of Venice: a contribution to the environmental impact assessment of temporary closure ofthe inlets
Dm. Canu et al., Short-term simulations under winter conditions in the lagoon of Venice: a contribution to the environmental impact assessment of temporary closure ofthe inlets, ECOL MODEL, 138(1-3), 2001, pp. 215-230
A primitive equation finite element hydrodynamic model developed for the la
goon of Venice some years ago has been internally coupled with the Streeter
-Phelps module of Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP). The cou
pled model (VELFEEM) has been applied for a first evaluation of the impact
on water quality of the lagoon of Venice induced by a reduction in the exch
ange with the Adriatic Sea, which could be caused by the temporary closure
of the inlets. Such closures have been proposed to prevent the flooding (ac
qua-alta) of the historical city occurring in winter time and would be obta
ined by specifically designed mobile gates (MOSE). Short-term simulations o
f biochemical oxygen-dissolved oxygen (BOD-DO) dynamics are performed under
winter conditions, in both the presence and the absence of the mobile clos
ure. Results suggest that the mobile closures do not significantly affect t
he water quality of the lagoon, even in the case of repeated closures, and
that, in any case, the lagoon seems to be able to return rather easily to i
ts unperturbed condition when the inlets are open again. (C) 2001 Elsevier
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