by InTrieste
The regional government of Friuli Venezia Giulia has allocated 4 million euros (about $4.3 million) to the small Alpine town of Ovaro in an effort to reduce the risk of sinkholes that have long affected the surrounding Degano Valley.
The funding, announced Wednesday by Fabio Scoccimarro, the regional councillor for environmental protection, will be used to build drainage and water management systems designed to slow the erosion of underground gypsum deposits. The gradual dissolution of these deposits has been identified as the main cause of the sudden collapses, known locally as sinkholes, that disrupt traffic and threaten homes and infrastructure in the valley.
“This investment is strategic for safeguarding both residents and the territory,” Mr. Scoccimarro said at a public meeting in Ovaro’s cultural center. “It will help regulate rainwater and mitigate the risks that have troubled this community for decades.”
The project is being carried out in partnership with the University of Trieste, the Carnia Mountain Community, the Friuli Central Water Consortium, and the regional geological service. Mr. Scoccimarro emphasized that the initiative reflects an unusually broad collaboration among local institutions, scientific researchers, and regional authorities.
While the funding is expected to reduce both the frequency and severity of sinkholes, technical experts cautioned that it will not eliminate the problem entirely. The regional government has called on residents to assist by reporting new collapses quickly, providing data that could improve monitoring and guide future interventions.
If the measures prove effective, regional officials said, the findings could lead to an eventual revision of hydrogeological risk maps. Such a reassessment would not only improve public safety but could also ease construction restrictions that have hindered private building in affected areas.
