, Cagliari (FUA), Italy
City population: 384743
Duration: 2014 – 2018
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Freshwater setting (e.g. river, channel, lake, pond)
Last updated: May 2025

Assemini, a municipality in Cagliari, has long grappled with hydrogeological instability, marked by major floods in 1999 and 2002. To mitigate future risks, the municipality launched a series of interventions focused on improving the hydraulic management of its waterways. These projects are part of a broader strategy to address recurring flood hazards exacerbated by the effects of rapid urbanization in the 1970s, which disrupted the natural water drainage systems (1,3). The central goal of the project is to reduce the risk of flooding by enhancing the functionality of existing waterways. This includes both preventative measures and structural improvements to the canal system to manage stormwater more effectively. These efforts aim to safeguard urban and rural areas from severe meteorological events. The project development involved a multi-phased approach starting in 2013, focusing on cleaning and maintaining minor waterways such as the Gutturu Lorenzu, Sa Nuxedda, and Giaccu Meloni streams. These efforts expanded over time, culminating in an agreement with the Land Reclamation Consortium of Southern Sardinia in 2015, securing both local and regional financial support. The interventions have covered over 24 kilometers of canals and streams, targeting key flood-prone areas (1,2). Key interventions include the cleaning and maintenance of over 35 km of canals and streams, in partnership with the Land Reclamation Consortium of Southern Sardinia, supported by regional funding. A separate, large-scale intervention in Truncu Is Follas involves constructing an open-air diversion canal, a retention basin (44,500 m³), and new pipelines to redirect floodwaters, thus reducing risk for residents downstream in both Assemini and Elmas.

satellite image of the area of intervention
satellite image of the area of intervention
https://www.vulcanonotizie.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/immagine-satellitare-interventi-Assemini.jpg

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Blue infrastructure
  • Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change adaptation
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Flood protection
  • Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Disaster-risk reduction

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

  • Climate-Related Hazards
  • River flooding

Key priorities

Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation)

Focus

Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, River rehabilitation/ restoration

Project objectives

-Reduce hydrogeological risk and prevent flooding in vulnerable urban and peri-urban areas (Ref 1, Ref 3) -Restore the hydraulic functionality of natural and artificial canals and streams (Ref 1) -Create infrastructure to intercept and redirect floodwaters safely away from residential areas (Ref 3) -Enhance water retention capacity through the construction of a large retention basin (Ref 3) -Rebalance the hydrological system disrupted by urbanisation and infrastructure (e.g., SS130 highway) (Ref 3) -Develop coordinated and long-term planning strategies, including feasibility studies and project designs (Ref 1, Ref 3) -Collaborate with regional and local agencies for integrated water and land management (Ref 1)

Implementation activities

Assemini launched a program to regularly maintain its streams and canals, crucial for draining excess rainwater and preventing flooding. Initiated by Mayor Mario Puddu in 2013, it included multiple hydraulic interventions on minor canals downstream of the town in 2014. Key areas addressed were the Gutturu Lorenzu stream (550 m), canals along via Bacaredda, via Ancona (1100 m), Sa Nuxedda (1000 m), and Giaccu Meloni (400 m). In 2015, the municipality signed an agreement with the Land Reclamation Consortium of Southern Sardinia to clean 6,500 meters of canals. This partnership was renewed in 2016, with €177,664.80 in regional funding for more interventions through 2018. The first section maintained was Rio Sa Nuxedda, with 3,750 meters of canals cleaned. (1). To secure the territory, the municipality has invested in annual cleaning since 2013. Besides specific interventions using municipal resources, more comprehensive works began in 2014. Waste was removed from canal banks, and the Geological Service of Cagliari maintained Rio Mannu’s left drain from Via Coghe to its mouth. (2). A study by Eng. Italo Frau identified two key systems: an open-air canal to divert drainage to Rio di Sestu, and a retention basin upstream of Strada dei Canadesi to collect rainwater. A pipeline discharges it into Rio Sa Murta, with an overflow system for extreme rainfall. (3)

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

  • Restore rivers and other fresh water bodies to reduce flood or drought risk
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes

Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities

Riverfront communities

Main beneficiaries

  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Government-led

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Unknown

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

In 2015, a first agreement was signed with the Land Reclamation Consortium of Southern Sardinia. In 2016, the Municipal Administration renewed the collaboration with the Land Reclamation Consortium in order to use the extraordinary contribution obtained from the Region for the execution of ordinary maintenance cleaning interventions in the waterways falling within the Municipal territory. with a recent resolution of the Council, the Municipal Administration has decided to continue the fruitful collaboration with the Land Reclamation Consortium, with which a program agreement has already been signed that will last until December 2018. (ref 1).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Type of enablers

Unknown

Financing

Total cost

€100,000 - €500,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget
  • Public regional budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Water management and blue areas
  • Increased protection against flooding
  • Achieved increased protection against flooding
  • Improved stormwater management
  • Achieved improved stormwater management
  • Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
  • Expected enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems

Economic impacts

  • Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
  • Expected increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
  • Other

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved liveability
  • Expected improved liveability
  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Improvement in people’s connection to nature
  • Expected improvement in people’s connection to nature
  • Safety
  • Improved community safety to climate-related hazards
  • Expected improved community safety to climate-related hazards

Type of reported impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs

Unknown

References

1.
vulcano notizie (2017). Dissesto idrogeologico e cura del territorio: Assemini firma un accordo col Consorzio di Bonifica. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Città metropolitana di Cagliari (2017). Lavori di pulizia rii e canali per la messa in sicurezza del territorio ad Assemini. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];
3.
vulcano notizie ( 2018). Assemini. Dissesto idrogeologico e mitigazione dei rischi: anche per Truncu Is Follas prevista la messa in sicurezza. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Città Metropolitana di Cagliari (2024). Assemini. Accessed on September 27, 2024, [Source link];
photo of one of the interventions
photo of one of the interventions
https://www.vulcanonotizie.it/dissesto-idrogeologico-e-cura-del-territorio-assemini-firma-un-accordo-col-consorzio-di-bonifica/
naturescapes bannerInformation about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.