Success of Reclamation Works and Effects of Climatic Changes in Taranto Area: South Italy

Abstract

The paper presents some considerations on the potential influence of climatic changes on the effectiveness and the success of reclamation works made between the 19th and the 20th century in some areas of the west bound of Taranto (South Italy), characterized by large swamps for centuries. Historical documents underline the difficulty to make effective and successful reclamation works in the area of Taranto, as in other areas of the Mediterranean basin because swamps were continuously supplied by upward groundwater flow from the powerful deep karst aquifer. Success were obtained during Thirties thanks to improvement in technical knowledge and design technics, but these successes were obtained in a period characterized by rainfall decreasing. This paper aims at emphasizing that successes in reclamation works were obtained during a period of rainfall decreasing that affected Taranto area and all southern Italy between the 19th and the 20th century. Rainfall decreasing induced a lowering of groundwater table and a reduction of swamp supply, favoring the success of reclamation works.