The intake structure of the Pizziconi Flood Expansion Basin has been completed and inaugurated, officially bringing the infrastructure into operation. The facility consists of three mobile gates, each 2 meters high, which can be operated remotely to regulate the opening of the basin, with a discharge capacity of over 200 cubic meters of water per second.
The hydraulic system is complemented by three reinforced-concrete culverts crossing beneath the A1 motorway, allowing the transfer of flow from the Arno River into the basin. Each culvert measures 15 meters in width, 25 meters in length, and 6 meters in height. They were installed beneath the motorway without disrupting traffic, using hydraulic jacking systems.
With the intake structure now complete, pending only minor finishing works, and fully operational, the Basin has become a functional and tangible component of the flood defense network for the Valdarno area and Florence. It enables the storage of over 3.5 million cubic meters of water, effectively reducing peak river flow volumes and marking a significant step forward in mitigating hydraulic risk across the region.