05 – Raised embankments for a safer river

In certain sections of the River Ticino, particularly near strategic infrastructure and the most exposed areas, works have been carried out to raise the embankments to contain high flows associated with flood events where it is not possible to widen the river channel.

The aim is twofold: on the one hand, to ensure hydraulic safety, i.e. to prevent flooding that could damage structures and the surrounding area; on the other, to integrate the embankments into a more complex river system, where protection coexists with renaturation. The embankments have been designed to maintain a degree of visual permeability and integration with the landscape, using natural materials and gentle contours where possible. In some places, they have been supplemented by breakwaters and bank stabilisation works that reduce erosion and improve soil stability.

These interventions form part of a broader approach to risk management: not only to counter the water at critical moments, but also to accompany its movement, giving the river space to adapt. Thus, safety and ecological functionality go hand in hand.