Blocking the tide

Mounting damage by the increased height and frequency of tidal flooding of Venice caused by subsidence and sea level rise has progressed to the point where engineering solutions must be found. In 1984, an independent concessionaire, the Consorzio Venezia Nuova (CVN), was formed from about 50 of the largest public and private civil engineering and construction firms in Italy. CVN has the responsibility for planning, testing, and carrying out public works aimed at restoring the hydrological and morphological balance and halting and reversing the process of decay in the lagoon. Of greatest importance is its responsibility for protecting the city against the exceptionally high tides that are causing floods and damage with increasing frequency. In 1989, the CVN submitted its first outline of a general program, including movable gates at the 3 inlets, for safeguarding Venice and the lagoon.