Fluvial Morphotypes for Basin Planning

Alexander Palummo

University of Florence, Via della Mattonaia 14, Italy

Abstract: This study proposes the introduction of a fluvial invariant in the Territorial Planning tools through the definition of an abacus of river morphotypes (or territorial morpho-typologies of fluvial and perifluvial contexts) to which multiscalar guidelines should be applied. On the basis of this graphic and geographical analysis, it will be possible to identify good risk-management practices related to the different territorial morphologies. In this context, the morphotypes must therefore be understood as abstract models to be applied to the various river contexts: their reconstruction starts from the analysis of the basin (or sub-basin), identifying the hierarchy of the streams of its hydrographic network, continues with a typological classification (and identification of patterns) of the network as a function of the geomorphological characters and ends, through a morpho-typological framework of the patterns, with a definition of the morphotypes with which to classify the recurrent forms of the river systems in relation to the distribution of the settlement system. The analyzes were carried out starting from the open data published on the site of the District of the Northern Apennines and the Basin Authority.