PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER RECYCLED 100% ON PRINTED Via Pio VII, 9 – 10135 Turin – Italy – Turin 10135 – 9 VII, Pio Via Copyright © 2008, Arpa Piemonte Arpa 2008, © Copyright Printed in June 2008 at Litografia Viscardi, Alessandria Viscardi, Litografia at 2008 June in Printed www.arpa.piemonte.it Graphic project Graphic Art Café Adv, Turin Adv, Café Art @ arpa.piemonte.it urp.vco Editing Elisa Bianchi – Arpa Piemonte, Institutional Communications Institutional Piemonte, Arpa – Bianchi Elisa Revision Sonia Naretto - Arpa Piemonte, Institutional Communications Institutional Piemonte, Arpa - Naretto Sonia 518800 800 Translation ACTA, Turin ACTA, Wednesday from 14.00 to 16.00 to 14.00 from Wednesday Photographs Arpa Piemonte Archives Piemonte Arpa from 10.00 to 12.00 to 10.00 from Maps Maps Paolo Demaestri – Arpa Piemonte, Department of Verbano Cusio Ossola Cusio Verbano of Department Piemonte, Arpa – Demaestri Paolo Monday, Tuesday Thursday, Friday Thursday, Tuesday Monday, Arpa Piemonte, Department of Verbano Cusio Ossola Cusio Verbano of Department Piemonte, Arpa Public Information Desk Office Desk Information Public Authors Paola Botta, Patrizia Comoli, Paolo Demaestri, Luigi Guidetti, Silvia Padulazzi Padulazzi Silvia Guidetti, Luigi Demaestri, Paolo Comoli, Patrizia Botta, Paola FOR FURTHER INFORMATION FURTHER FOR which have the potential for being dangerous. being for potential the have which ical point of view. This allows to identify conditions of environmental degradation, as well as situations as well as degradation, environmental of conditions identify to allows This view. of point ical The monitoring plan is aimed to check water conditions, both from a microbiological and physical-chem- and microbiological a from both conditions, water check to aimed is plan monitoring The grations thereto) implementing Directive 76/160/EEC. Directive implementing thereto) grations Decree of the President of the Republic no. 470 of 8 June 1982 (and following amendments and inte- and amendments following (and 1982 June 8 of 470 no. Republic the of President the of Decree Pending the implementation of the new Directive 2006/7/EC, bathing water is checked according to the to according checked is water bathing 2006/7/EC, Directive new the of implementation the Pending What does the Law prescribe? Law the does What bathing, if necessary, or to revoke the prohibitions. the revoke to or necessary, if bathing, towns concerned. The mayor, who is the highest local health authority, then enacts measures to prohibit to measures enacts then authority, health local highest the is who mayor, The concerned. towns rations of suitability or unsuitability for bathing are issued for each zone and are sent to the mayors of the of mayors the to sent are and zone each for issued are bathing for unsuitability or suitability of rations and 120 cm, along the shorelines normally used by swimmers. When the analyses are completed, decla- completed, are analyses the When swimmers. by used normally shorelines the along cm, 120 and Water samples are taken twice a month in the period from April to September, at depths of between 80 between of depths at September, to April from period the in month a twice taken are samples Water and suggest the preventive and corrective actions to be adopted. adopted. be to actions corrective and preventive the suggest and surveillance on the territory that will immediately detect any episodes of pollution or any other hazards, other any or pollution of episodes any detect immediately will that territory the on surveillance bathing waters of the entire region. In order to safeguard public health, it has to maintain an active plan of plan active an maintain to has it health, public safeguard to order In region. entire the of waters bathing bathing season 2008 season bathing ARPA is the agency for the protection of the environment of Piedmont that monitors and analyses the analyses and monitors that Piedmont of environment the of protection the for agency the is ARPA The Activity of ARPA Piemonte ARPA of Activity The Maggiore, Orta and Mergozzo Lakes Mergozzo and Orta Maggiore, economy as well. as economy The Bathing Waters of the of Waters Bathing The year in these areas, most of all during the summer season, having considerable positive effects on the local the on effects positive considerable having season, summer the during all of most areas, these in year High quality of Piedmont lakes plays a key role in the remarkable tourist presence which is registered every registered is which presence tourist remarkable the in role key a plays lakes Piedmont of quality High Precisely because of these many uses, they are under human pressure and have to be safeguarded. safeguarded. be to have and pressure human under are they uses, many these of because Precisely for the supplying of drinking water, both in the coastal centres and in the big neighbouring cities. neighbouring big the in and centres coastal the in both water, drinking of supplying the for tourism, sports). They represent an important water asset which is being and will be used as a resource a as used be will and being is which asset water important an represent They sports). tourism, of water that allow us to practice numerous activities, both recreational and economic (swimming, fishing, (swimming, economic and recreational both activities, numerous practice to us allow that water of Lakes are important elements of the landscape and of the hydrogeological cycle, providing vital reserves vital providing cycle, hydrogeological the of and landscape the of elements important are Lakes Italian lake habitats have high ecological, scenic, social and economic value. economic and social scenic, ecological, high have habitats lake Italian Lakes: a Resource a Lakes: The Bathing Waters of the Maggiore, Orta and Mergozzo Lakes Mergozzo and Orta Maggiore, the of Waters Bathing The The Bathing Waters of the Maggiore, Orta and Mergozzo Lakes Mergozzo and Orta Maggiore, the of Waters Bathing The Lago Maggiore The Hydrographic Characteristics Lago Maggiore, or Verbano, is the second largest lake in Italy. Of glacial origin, its shore- line stretches into Piedmont, Lombardy and Switzerland. Mild climate fosters the growth of Altitude 193.85 m a.l.m. Mediterranean vegetation on the valley floors, which alternate with a more Alpine landscape Area 212.51 km2 dominated by the peaks of the Val d’Ossola. The lake is fed by numerous rivers and streams, Volume 37,500 Mm3 first of all the Ticino, a tributary in Swiss territory and an effluent in Italy. Max. depth 370 m There are 50 monitored beaches along the Piedmont shoreline of Lago Maggiore, and Average depth 177.5 m most of them are suitable for bathing. Area of the hydrographic basin 6,599 km2 Renewal time 4.1 years Maggiore Lago d’Orta The Hydrographic Characteristics Of glacial origin, Lago d’Orta, the ancient lake of Cusius, is surrounded by woods, moun- tains and towns. An important characteristic, unique in Europe, is the south-north water flow Altitude 290 m a.l.m. direction. The lake is fed by underwater springs and many short watercourses. The only efflu- Area 18 km2 ent is the Nigoglia canal, which flows immediately into the Strona River controlled at Volume 1,300 Mm3 Omegna by a system of sluices. Max. depth 143 m The lake serves as a large water reservoir that supplies nearby industries. Among the main Average depth 71 m manufacturing activities located in the basin of this lake, there are textile industries, tap and Area of the hydrographic basin 116 km2 fitting manufacturers (over 130 companies), and factories producing household articles. Renewal time 8.9 years The bathing areas monitored are 18, most of which are suitable for swimming. Orta Lago di Mergozzo The Hydrographic Characteristics Lago di Mergozzo is a small lake that shares its origin and evolution with Lago Maggiore, from which it was separated over the centuries by the alluvial deposits of the Toce River. Altitude 195 m a.l.m. Today the two lakes are connected by a non-navigable canal. The lake is fed by numerous Area 1,81 km2 small streams descending from the north, from the slopes of Monte Orfano, and from the Volume 82,9 Mm3 first peaks of the Val Grande. Enclosed in a mountain setting, its shores are very steep on Max. depth 73 m the southwest side, while on the southeast they are lower and sandy. Average depth 45 m This small lake is one of the cleanest in Italy; the use of motorboats has been forbidden on its Area of the hydrographic basin 10,4 km2 waters for years. Typical economic activities in the surrounding area include the cutting and work- Renewal time 6 years ing of stone (pink marble of Candoglia; stone of Monte Orfano) and plant and flower nurs- eries. During the bathing season, 5 areas of the Mergozzo lakeshore are monitored. One Mergozzo area is closed to bathing consequent to a critical situation that emerged in the summer of 2007. BATHING SEASON 2008 Lago Maggiore Lago d’Orta Lago di Mergozzo Torrenti Cannobino PIEDMONT SHORE e San Bernardino BEACH MAP Cannobio ARONA DORMELLETTO 9 Sotto Camogno 1 30 Lido Nautica - Lido Rocchette 31 Campeggio Lago Azzurro 10 Villa Gianna 80 3 BAVENO 33 Località Pirolino - Bar Leonardi STRESA 17 Hotel Palazzo 34 Campeggio Smeraldo 18 Isola Pescatori 79 93 Spiaggia Camping 77 La Rotta 19 Isola Bella 94 Spiaggia via Repubblica dell'Ossola GHIFFA 20 Lido di Carciano 95 Spiaggia lungolago di Feriolo 11 Quarantina 21 Villa Pallavicino 96 Spiaggia Villa Fedora 12 Villa Volpi 88 Spiaggia Borromeo 97 Spiaggia Baracchetta