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Venice, the city of dreams.
The canal-lined Italian port city is a place of mystery, magic, and romance.
And soon, it might all be gone.
There is no other city like Venice in the world, because it isn’t really a single
city at all.
Venice is composed of a group of 118 small islands, separated by canals and connected
by a series of bridges, all located in the Venetian Lagoon.
This enclosed bay seems like a strange place to live - but it’s home to over 250,000
people and countless tourists visit per year.
And it’s not hard to see why - it’s stunning.
Not only can you see the scenes and taste some spectacular Italian cuisine, but no visit
to Italy is complete without a ride through the canals courtesy of one of the famous gondoliers.
Maybe he’ll sing!
But all its strengths may be its greatest weakness.
In 2021, Venice once again banned the massive cruise liners that frequently visit Italy
from sailing into the center of the city.
For now, these ships - and their countless passengers - will have to park at the industrial
port of Marghera instead.
The main reason for this is to protect the integrity of the Venetian Lagoon, the body
of water that keeps Venice livable - and nature gives the people there very little leeway.
That’s because the Venetian Lagoon is surprisingly shallow - only 34 feet deep on average - and
the city surrounding it is built to accommodate that.
And that means that a slight shift could mean disaster.
When the seasonal high-water tides hit Venice every year, floods devastate the city.
Countless antique buildings are damaged by the sea water resulting in millions of dollars
in property and it’s hard to predict when it’ll happen again.
Making things worse, the sea level seems to be getting higher and higher - and something
massive entering the water, like a huge cruise ship causing a wave in its wake - can trigger
a flood on its own.
The attempt to ban the ships prevented this problem, but it’s a band-aid on a stab wound.
Because the source of the problem is much bigger.
The city is slowly sinking, disappearing below the waves.
More and more buildings are irreparably damaged, while more and more locals leave the city
- discouraged by the constant challenging conditions and worsening climate.
It’s estimated that by the year 2100, Venice could simply disapear - swallowed by the seas.
The heavy traffic is one culprit, but it’s far from the only city to experience this
problem.
Around the world, cities like Jakarta and New Orleans find themselves threatened by
floodwaters.
Things are so bad in Indonesia that they’re planning to replace Jakarta as their capital
with Nusantara - a city they’re still in the process of building!
You know the situation is bad when a country plans to move its capital city down the road.
As climate change gets worse, the polar ice caps continue to melt.
As the ice caps melt, the water floods the oceans and seas, and the water levels rise.
Anything close to sea level, especially places along the coasts and islands, are first in
the line of fire.
Even some of the most populated places in the world, like the coastal regions of Florida
and Californa, are potentially going to be swallowed up eventually.
But no place is more vulnerable than water-ringed, low-lying Venice - and time is running out
to save the city’s rich cultural heritage and its place as an economic powerhouse of
Italy.
But options are limited.
Until recently, most efforts have focused on limiting the environmental damage caused
by the tourists.
The banning of the massive cruise ships helped keep the water levels under control, but likely
hurt Venice’s bottom line as the canal views are a big draw for Venice-bound cruises.
Many conservationists have urged Venice residents to avoid the city altogether, but with the
city’s dwindling population, many people rely on visitors to make ends meet - and preserving
a city doesn’t help much if there is no one around to keep it running.
So it was clear that something else would need to be done - and the scientists stepped
up.
The problems were visible for a long time, with work on solving the crisis beginning
as far back as the 1980s.
Even before climate change got worse, the seasonal tide peaks hitting the Adriatic Sea
and the Venetian Lagoon tend to peak between autumn and spring, when the astronomical tides
are bolstered by seasonal winds - and the city finds much of itself under water.
Venice is always near the water, but during these seasons visitors are advised to bring
some waterproof boots - it’s common for the canals to spill over into the city streets
and leave tourists trudging through an inch or more of water.
And as the crisis got worse, a plan was hatched.
The Italian Ministry of Infrastructure began working in 1987 along with Venetian authorities
on what would become the most important environmental defense and restoration project in Italy’s
history - to give Venice a powerful defense system that could fend off nature and prevent
further damage to the historic city.
It would be called MOSE, for the Italian name Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico - or
Experimental Electromechanical Module.
The heart of the project is an integrated system of rows of mobile gates around the
inlets.
When they slam shut, the most vulnerable part of the city would be protected from the floodwaters.
But the project was much more complicated than that - also aimed at shoring up the lagoon
itself and reinforcing it with concrete and other materials to create a strong foundation.
It’s a huge project - and it won’t come fast or cheap.
After over fifteen years of planning, MOSE began construction in 2003, with a plan to
finish in 2011.
That became 2018, and it’s now tentatively planned to be fully completed in 2025.
Protecting a whole city from floodwaters isn’t a simple process, and it’s also not a low-cost
one - it’s estimated to cost upwards of seven billion dollars when the whole thing
is completed.
But if it works, it could be a remarkable achievement.
The most important step is to protect the city from the constant surge of low-level
flood waters, which are making the city hazardous to residents and causing salt water and moisture
damage to the buildings.
The barriers are designed to deal with larger floods, so to prevent these minor floods,
construction workers are aiming to raise the quaysides and add paved barriers that would
turn back the flood waters and protect the older buildings.
They are also working to add more salt marshes and mud flats to absorb and redirect the waters
to keep them out of the city center, and to fix any damage to the smaller islands.
Many canals and channels have also become clogged with debris over the years - which
means a lot of the project is the less-than-glamorous plumbing job.
And much of the work involves cleaning up after people.
Pollution has been a big part of the problem in Venice, with many small islands being used
as trash dumps.
This is particularly common in industrial areas, and dredging the canals makes it easier
for water to flow.
Many industrial canals, which are no longer needed after the industrial decline in the
area, are being sealed off so that the flow of water will be consolidated and be easier
to regulate.
And while the bulk of the work is focused on controlling the water flow, experts are
also restoring many damaged buildings to ensure Venice remains beautiful well into the future.
But while this may solve some of the flooding concerns - they still haven’t solved one
of their biggest problems.
Most floods during the year are minor, making for a soggy walk through the city and leaving
damage in its wake.
But occasionally the water surges much higher - and few things are more devastating than
a massive flood.
New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and Japan during the earthquake-related tsunami of 2011
both saw mass casualties and destruction that still hasn’t been repaired today.
While Venice hasn’t been subject to a flood of that caliber yet, many worry that it’s
only a matter of time before a flood surge washes the city away.
And so the race was on.
The goal was to design gates that would protect Venice from flood surges up to just under
ten feet, but that’s a work in progress - and has been for a long time.
Right now, the plan is to target three inlets with the gates - the Lido, Malamocco, and
Chioggia inlets that provide most of the water to the city of Venice.
These are three of the most vulnerable spots, and it’s estimated that being able to block
these inlets from the flood could prevent most of the water from entering the Venice
city center.
But there’s one problem with construction - this is a massive operation, involving building
small harbors, locks, and many buildings needed to run the complex machinery.
It’s one of the largest water infrastructure projects since the Panama Canal that linked
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans way back in 1914.
But this project is more about survival.
When a major construction project is started, it’s fairly common to shut down the target
areas so crews can work as efficiently as possible - as many commuters have found out
when they’re trying to get to work.
But that’s not possible when you’re working with an essential road or waterway, and so
the masterminds behind the MOSE project were tasked with figuring out how to construct
the locks without interrupting boat traffic.
They ended up coming with a plan, but it definitely prolonged the construction project and has
led to an increase in the budget.
And with a project this delicate, every little detail matters.
Venice doesn’t have many land connections between its islands, so it has been tricky
to get all the supplies to the construction site via water without overwhelming the area
and causing shipping delays.
Most of the machines and supplies are set up on temporary water areas to allow construction
with minimal interference, and construction on the three inlets is proceeding on pace.
But not all of them are being built at the same pace.
The Lido inlet plans for two rows of gates at the north and south of the inlet, with
a small craft harbor with two basins controlling the traffic.
This project involved massive draining of the area to construct the main housing structures,
and it was then flooded again.
Construction is continuing, with the gates being in place and tested, while a new island
was constructed in the middle of the inlet to allow technicians to monitor the gates.
A massive three-thousand foot breakwater will accompany the project to help fend off floodwaters.
But that’s not the case for all the inlets.
The Malamocco inlet is in the earliest state of construction of the three, with a temporary
construction site being set up along the basin and housing structures being built.
But the gates haven’t been fully built yet.
A lock that will be able to close the inlet to large ships when the gates are operating
was installed in 2014, as well as the foundations where the gates will be placed.
A massive breakwater of over 4,000 feet has been completed - and that just means that
they need to finish work on the gates.
And then there’s the third inlet - Chioggia.
Generally considered to be a critical point for the project, Chioggia has a tricky balancing
act to complete - needing to function as a small craft harbor where a large number of
ships can safely travel to even when the gates are in operation.
This inlet is a hub for fishing activity, and that facility has been completed.
The seabed has been prepped for the gates to be installed, the basin has been trained
and used as a construction harbor, and a smaller breakwater has been completed.
Everything seems to be proceeding smoothly - but delays soon followed.
And no project of this level has ever been completed before - but that doesn’t mean
the technology used was entirely new.
At the core of the MOSE project is a series of hinges that control the gates.
Not only do they hold the gates in place and link them to the operating structure, but
they’ll be carefully designed to withstand the harsh onslaught of the water and resist
sea water damage.
However, because nothing is foolproof, they’ll be designed with plenty of reserve elements
in storage and will be constantly monitored for any damage.
After all, they may just hold the entire project - and the future of Venice - in their metal
hands.
Which raises one critical question - will it actually work?
Ever since the project was created, its defenders argued it was essential - and without it,
there might not be a Venice to defend.
While it would require extensive damage to some of the natural structures surrounding
Venice, they say the project would leave Venice stronger and more fortified against the elements
- and that’s worth the rapidly-growing price tag.
They argue the science is sound, the gates will stand the test of time, and the cost
of upkeep once completed will be minimal.
Needless to say, the naysayers disagree.
Ever since the start, the MOSE project has had many vocal detractors.
Large coalitions of Italian politicians opposed the project from the beginning, arguing that
it’s not actually a conservation project - but one that will transform Venice into
something entirely new and remove much of the city’s historic charm.
They say the changes are not gradual and reversible, but rather stand the risk of turning the area
surrounding the Venetian Lagoon into just another industrial area.
They also point to the massive price tag, claiming that the project is just a gift to
the construction industry and will never be complete.
And as the finishing date moved further and further into the future, even some supporters
had to admit they had a point.
But then there was another group complaining- and they weren’t afraid to get much louder.
Venice is essentially in a war against nature as the waters rise - and there are a lot of
people taking the side of nature.
Environmental activists have condemned the project since day one, pointing out that its
impact will be much larger than just the areas where the gates are being constructed.
The project requires complex leveling of the sea base, flattening it completely where the
barriers are being installed.
The entire lagoon bed has to be reinforced, and this could have a massive impact on the
delicate ecosystem of the lagoon.
They also claim the massive construction and disruption of the lagoon could impact the
behavior of migratory birds due to pollution and noise.
They’ve filed multiple appeals, but all have ultimately come down in favor of the
project.
And the defenders say that in the end it will be worth it - but will it be?
Dealing with climate change is a tricky matter, because no one knows exactly how the future
will play out.
Venice is making projections based on current climate change patterns, but those can change
in a hurry, and if the flood surges become bigger than expected, it could become nothing
more than an overly expensive eyesore to a doomed city.
Alternatively, if the end result is rosier than projected for the city, then the lagoon
could be defaced permanently for no reason.
And others ask - is all the money going where it should be?
The project is expensive, and thus far construction seems to be proceeding as planned.
But in 2014, the project was hit with a massive shake-up - when 35 people including the current
Mayor of Venice were arrested on misused public funds.
Authorities revealed that Mayor Giorgio Orsoni had received illicit funds from the organization
behind the MOSE project, which he used to fund his campaign for Mayor.
He was placed on house arrest, later pled guilty, and didn’t serve any jail time.
In total, it’s estimated that more than twenty million Euros may have been siphoned
away from the project over the years - and with a project of this size, that may have
been treated as little more than a rounding error.
But no one has answered the most significant question - will it work?
Some people say that the entire goal of the project is fundamentally off.
Scientist Luigi D’Alpaos, a hydraulics expert, claims that the technology behind the project
is obsolete, and will actually make the situation worse.
As the flood waters continue to rise, the project would only work by keeping the gates
permanently raised - which would render the lagoon unable to drain properly, leading to
massive algae growth that would turn the iconic balloon green and create massive health hazards
for anyone living there.
But is there an alternative?
Ultimately, no one has been able to come up with one, making MOSE the best hope to secure
Venice’s future.
That’s why the Italian government has turned back all attempts to stop the project, as
have the courts - and at this point, it’s so far into being constructed that everyone
is just quietly hoping they haven’t financed the biggest failed project in Italian history.
Once it’s complete, the next step will begin - clearing out all the construction equipment,
restoring the lagoon to its previous condition, and restoring the area’s natural beauty.
But recently, the system faced its biggest test yet.
It was July 2020, and Italy had just made it through the devastating first European
wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The people needed something to give them hope, and it was decided that for the first time,
MOSE was far enough along that a full test could be conducted.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte activated the 78 mobile barriers, and they all worked - serving
as a proof of concept for the entire system.
They’re not anywhere near ready to take on the ten-foot swells the system was designed
for - but they’re getting there, and could potentially take on swells up to four feet
right now.
And only a few months later, they would be called on again.
On October 3rd, 2020, MOSE was activated again - but this time it wasn’t a test.
The fall floodwaters were surging, and the famous Piazza San Marco was threatened once
again.
So the barriers were activated - and they held!
The city was spared the wrath of a flood that was becoming more and more frequent, but this
was only a temporary fix.
Bigger and stronger flood surges would be coming, and construction would need to continue
quickly in order to fend them off.
And time was ticking down.
Currently, MOSE is scheduled for full construction in 2025, with all three gates being fully
operation and ready to handle high-level surges.
Will it happen, or will nature get in the way?
No one knows what direction climate change is going to take, but the people in charge
of Venice are determined that no matter what the world looks like, the famous city of Canals
will endure.
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For an ominous look at the future, check out “Why 2023 Will Be The Worst Year Ever”
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