The Po river is managed by a National Authority whose name is “Autorità di Bacino per il fiume Po”. Actually this is an agency formed by the four concerned regions under a law of 2002, that replaced the previous authority directly formed by the national government and that still had the old fashioned name of “Magistrato del Po”.
After the dramatic flooding of 1951, the situation has been put under control, with full capacity to face higher risks as well as to cope with the ordinary maintenance: however the area is still subject to minor events, due to the characteristic of the river itself. In reality, a major event took place on 04/11/66, however it was not due to Po.
The more severe event in recent times has been the risk of flooding in October, 2000. In order to let the water wave (onda di piena) go through, a railway bridge in Pontelagoscuro was cut horizontally and its level was elevated of 1 mt during one single night, rising a weight of some 1000 tons.
Both engineers Bianco and Gentile have received the Ordine al Merito of the Italian Republic by president Ciampi on 21/12/2000.
Minor events happened in June 2010 (Latisana) and in November 2011 (Torino), where minor bridges were elevated by means of hydraulic devices.
The result that has been achieved in 2000, the bridge elevated during one night and the water wave passed through without making any damage, allows to be proud of being Italians
Gianluca di Castri (IdeaConsult) 