Serene, Afloat
November 2, 2020 10:06 AM Subscribe
Last November, Venice experienced the second-worst flooding in its history. Last month, Venice’s MOSE flood barriers (the system of 78 inflatable gates, designed in 1984, begun in 2003, plagued by delays, and now expected to be completed in 2021) were successfully deployed.
A history of flooding in the sinking city of Venice – in pictures, 1927-2012 (The Guardian, June 16, 2015) Acqua alta (high water) is the term used in Venice for the annual flooding that occurs mainly in the winter months as a result of a convergence of high-tides and a strong sirocco wind in the Venetian Lagoon.
Venice, Nov. 4, 1966, the Aqua Granda: The largest flood in its history reached a level of 194 cm above median sea level and covered almost the entire city. The tide remained for 22 hours above 110 cm and for about 40 hours over 50 cm. Some photos; film.*
Venice, November 2019: Venice ‘on its knees’ after second-worst flood ever recorded (AP, Nov. 12, 2019)
Venice floods: Climate change behind highest tide in 50 years (BBC, Nov. 13, 2019) The waters in Venice peaked at 1.87m (6ft), according to the tide monitoring centre. Only once since official records began in 1923 has the tide been higher, reaching 1.94m in 1966.
The cost of Venice's worst floods since 1966 (The Art Newspaper, Feb. 4, 2019)We survey the multi-million-euro impact of the disaster on the city's cultural heritage sites—and the funds pledged for restoration so far.
Photographs: Getty Images; High tide floods Venice (CNN, Nov. 17, 2019); Storms Turn Deadly, Worst Flooding in 50 Years in Venice (floodlist.com, Nov. 13, 2019). Video, Water floods Venice.
Without better flood protection, Venice risks loss of heritage status (Reuters, Nov. 24, 2019) Venice could lose its status as a World Heritage Site if it does not adequately protect itself from worsening flooding, UNESCO representatives have warned, as they offered help after recent inundations.
Venice tests long-delayed flood barrier months after waters swamped city (Reuters, July 10, 2020) The multi-billion-euro Mose scheme - designed in 1984 but still incomplete a decade after it was due to come into service - has been plagued by corruption and cost overruns. [...] The scheme - whose name is both a reference to the biblical prophet Moses and an acronym, in Italian, for “Experimental Electromechanical Module” - is not expected to be fully functional until next year.
Venice’s MOSE flood barriers rise for the first time (Architect's Newspaper, Oct. 14, 2020) The MOSE barriers are intended to sit at the bottom of the lagoon, fill with air when needed, rise, and subsequently seal three inlets leading to the Venetian Lagoon at noncontiguous points, which they successfully accomplished for the first time on October 3. Officials had predicted that tides on that day would reach 4.27 feet—not historic, but more than enough to flood the city. Although water levels only reached 2.3 feet on October 3rd, MOSE’s first deployment went off without a hitch.
The system is designed to accommodate floods of up to 10 feet (3 meters), which is well beyond historic records (though not outside of the realm of possibility in a wetter, warmer world). Aside from the obvious dangers in having a city flood, the MOSE project is intended to keep Venice’s water levels consistent to ensure the long-term health of the historic buildings there: If the canals rise and retreat, the non-waterproofed brick above the waterline is eroded by salt, allowing water to infiltrate the foundation and erode the sediment between the wooden piles and the building’s stone base.
Flood defences save Venice from second high tide (Reuters, Oct. 15, 2020) The system of 78 floodgates, known as Mose, had a successful first outing in early October and showed its mettle again, saving Venice from a tide that officials had predicted would reach 135 cm (4.43 ft). At that level, roughly half the city would normally be left underwater. Of the 23 tides ever recorded above the 140-cm level, 14 have occurred in the last two decades, including five last November when the city’s St Mark’s Square was submerged under a metre of water. […] Mose was originally due to go into service in 2011 but got swamped by corruption, cost overruns and construction delays.
* In November 1966, Florence flooded, too: During the first days of November, Tuscany and Venetia were devastated by floods of extraordinary magnitude and violence. The damage has been enormous. To the toll in human lives and the loss of property were added the destruction, in Florence and Venice, of creations of the human spirit which made the enchantment of the culture and art of living that Italy has given to the world. In all, 885 works of art of the first importance, 18 churches and some 10,000other objects have suffered. Seventy libraries and learned institutions have been stricken. More than 700,000 volumes of archives comprising some 50million items, of which 10,000 were of inestimable historical and scientific value, have been damaged. Florence and Venice! The names alone say why Italy’s grief is ours. - UNESCO, December 1966 Appeal
Previously on MetaFilter: Venice, How Does it Work?, Acqua Alta in Venice, Venice in Vintage Mags!
A history of flooding in the sinking city of Venice – in pictures, 1927-2012 (The Guardian, June 16, 2015) Acqua alta (high water) is the term used in Venice for the annual flooding that occurs mainly in the winter months as a result of a convergence of high-tides and a strong sirocco wind in the Venetian Lagoon.
Venice, Nov. 4, 1966, the Aqua Granda: The largest flood in its history reached a level of 194 cm above median sea level and covered almost the entire city. The tide remained for 22 hours above 110 cm and for about 40 hours over 50 cm. Some photos; film.*
Venice, November 2019: Venice ‘on its knees’ after second-worst flood ever recorded (AP, Nov. 12, 2019)
Venice floods: Climate change behind highest tide in 50 years (BBC, Nov. 13, 2019) The waters in Venice peaked at 1.87m (6ft), according to the tide monitoring centre. Only once since official records began in 1923 has the tide been higher, reaching 1.94m in 1966.
The cost of Venice's worst floods since 1966 (The Art Newspaper, Feb. 4, 2019)We survey the multi-million-euro impact of the disaster on the city's cultural heritage sites—and the funds pledged for restoration so far.
Photographs: Getty Images; High tide floods Venice (CNN, Nov. 17, 2019); Storms Turn Deadly, Worst Flooding in 50 Years in Venice (floodlist.com, Nov. 13, 2019). Video, Water floods Venice.
Without better flood protection, Venice risks loss of heritage status (Reuters, Nov. 24, 2019) Venice could lose its status as a World Heritage Site if it does not adequately protect itself from worsening flooding, UNESCO representatives have warned, as they offered help after recent inundations.
Venice tests long-delayed flood barrier months after waters swamped city (Reuters, July 10, 2020) The multi-billion-euro Mose scheme - designed in 1984 but still incomplete a decade after it was due to come into service - has been plagued by corruption and cost overruns. [...] The scheme - whose name is both a reference to the biblical prophet Moses and an acronym, in Italian, for “Experimental Electromechanical Module” - is not expected to be fully functional until next year.
Venice’s MOSE flood barriers rise for the first time (Architect's Newspaper, Oct. 14, 2020) The MOSE barriers are intended to sit at the bottom of the lagoon, fill with air when needed, rise, and subsequently seal three inlets leading to the Venetian Lagoon at noncontiguous points, which they successfully accomplished for the first time on October 3. Officials had predicted that tides on that day would reach 4.27 feet—not historic, but more than enough to flood the city. Although water levels only reached 2.3 feet on October 3rd, MOSE’s first deployment went off without a hitch.
The system is designed to accommodate floods of up to 10 feet (3 meters), which is well beyond historic records (though not outside of the realm of possibility in a wetter, warmer world). Aside from the obvious dangers in having a city flood, the MOSE project is intended to keep Venice’s water levels consistent to ensure the long-term health of the historic buildings there: If the canals rise and retreat, the non-waterproofed brick above the waterline is eroded by salt, allowing water to infiltrate the foundation and erode the sediment between the wooden piles and the building’s stone base.
Flood defences save Venice from second high tide (Reuters, Oct. 15, 2020) The system of 78 floodgates, known as Mose, had a successful first outing in early October and showed its mettle again, saving Venice from a tide that officials had predicted would reach 135 cm (4.43 ft). At that level, roughly half the city would normally be left underwater. Of the 23 tides ever recorded above the 140-cm level, 14 have occurred in the last two decades, including five last November when the city’s St Mark’s Square was submerged under a metre of water. […] Mose was originally due to go into service in 2011 but got swamped by corruption, cost overruns and construction delays.
* In November 1966, Florence flooded, too: During the first days of November, Tuscany and Venetia were devastated by floods of extraordinary magnitude and violence. The damage has been enormous. To the toll in human lives and the loss of property were added the destruction, in Florence and Venice, of creations of the human spirit which made the enchantment of the culture and art of living that Italy has given to the world. In all, 885 works of art of the first importance, 18 churches and some 10,000other objects have suffered. Seventy libraries and learned institutions have been stricken. More than 700,000 volumes of archives comprising some 50million items, of which 10,000 were of inestimable historical and scientific value, have been damaged. Florence and Venice! The names alone say why Italy’s grief is ours. - UNESCO, December 1966 Appeal
Previously on MetaFilter: Venice, How Does it Work?, Acqua Alta in Venice, Venice in Vintage Mags!
Here’s a GoogleTranslation of a recent article that fleshes out some of the MOSE’s issues that remain moot. The fascination of such a massive project is undoubtable, and that it should work after the 17 years and the €6B put into it, seems the absolute minimum that we should expect - but to actually compute its overall cost/benefit contribution to the viability of the city in the long term is an exercise that has not been done with sufficient transparency, competence or honesty.
posted by progosk at 10:34 AM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by progosk at 10:34 AM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
I had basically given up the notion of my kids ever seeing Venice in person, but maybe this could save that dream.
I mean, yes after COVID and yes after visitor fees and whatnot -- selfishly, I loved the place, and I just want it to still be there as a choice to see and touch and smell once they are finally able. I was there around Easter of 1992, and I remember St. Mark's Square being flooded out, with those little wooden walkways at the edge. (Yes, I was a student, and so had to turn my back to hang my duffel bag out into space, just like the person the 1980 photo isn't doing.)
Also, of course, what a blessing to the people who call it home. This must big a big relief to them if it continues to work.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:48 AM on November 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
I mean, yes after COVID and yes after visitor fees and whatnot -- selfishly, I loved the place, and I just want it to still be there as a choice to see and touch and smell once they are finally able. I was there around Easter of 1992, and I remember St. Mark's Square being flooded out, with those little wooden walkways at the edge. (Yes, I was a student, and so had to turn my back to hang my duffel bag out into space, just like the person the 1980 photo isn't doing.)
Also, of course, what a blessing to the people who call it home. This must big a big relief to them if it continues to work.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:48 AM on November 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
But, being Venice, almost no one is able to afford calling it home...
Such a strange, cool, place. Hope this works. Would like to go back someday.
posted by Windopaene at 11:01 AM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
Such a strange, cool, place. Hope this works. Would like to go back someday.
posted by Windopaene at 11:01 AM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
Here’s a recent article in English (from Cnet) that goes into some detail about the political context and looming issues the system faces.
posted by progosk at 11:16 AM on November 2, 2020
posted by progosk at 11:16 AM on November 2, 2020
Oh, we visited Venice last summer, in large part because I wanted my kids to see it before it disappears. My daughter was just asking last night if "the city that floods" is still flooded. I'm glad to share this information with her!
posted by Liesl at 11:37 AM on November 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Liesl at 11:37 AM on November 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
And for a reframing of the relationship between Venice and its lagoon, and what might hold the actual secret to its future resilience: The Venice Paradox (from p.71 of issue 4 of Aroop magazine “On Failure”) by J. Da Mosto (of We Are Here Venice) with C. Smith and E. Ruszkowska.
posted by progosk at 11:40 AM on November 2, 2020
posted by progosk at 11:40 AM on November 2, 2020
I've never been to Venice but I'm really fascinated about living in Venice. I mean it is a city people presumably live in right? With neighborhood bars and restaurants? Where kids go to school? It is not Disney World? Are there any blogs or first hand accounts of people living in Venice?
Like New York is a tourist center but I even knew people that lived in Times Square and if you go a couple blocks either way, not even that, you're living in a city people live in. Similar to Paris or any other global city. Venice seems so abstract, like if you told me you lived in Mos Eisley.
posted by geoff. at 3:47 PM on November 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
Like New York is a tourist center but I even knew people that lived in Times Square and if you go a couple blocks either way, not even that, you're living in a city people live in. Similar to Paris or any other global city. Venice seems so abstract, like if you told me you lived in Mos Eisley.
posted by geoff. at 3:47 PM on November 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
In fact it's kinda like Mos Eisley, far damper but with way better drinks.
posted by _dario at 4:06 PM on November 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by _dario at 4:06 PM on November 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
My friend who lives in Venice (and lost most of her stuff in the last acqua altissima) says: obviously it's good that the flood barriers work. But on the other hand, the current mayor is a right-wing homophobic asshole, and the barriers working on his watch means he's basically mayor-for-life now.
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:13 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:13 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
Are there any blogs or first hand accounts of people living in Venice?
The Paradox article I linked (and its author’s local ONG’s site, also linked) is such a one.
posted by progosk at 8:13 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
The Paradox article I linked (and its author’s local ONG’s site, also linked) is such a one.
posted by progosk at 8:13 PM on November 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
My concert pianist grandmother visited ca 1910. That the picture of her in St Mark's Square is now lost and presumably gone forever is a small sorrows in our house.
posted by BWA at 6:25 AM on November 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by BWA at 6:25 AM on November 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
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