Project Baseline Garda Project Baseline Garda Lake

2009

2016

2020 Project Baseline Garda Lake

WHO WE ARE

● Divers, free divers, and everyone else that wants to be the voice in defense of the underwater world and our .

● As scuba divers, we are uniquely positioned to assess the scale at which the underwater realm and lakes are changing and to advocate for the conservation of the local environment we love and explore. Project Baseline Garda Lake

OUR MISSION

● Project Baseline Garda Lake is a voluntary-based project.

● Our work and success are entirely based on the participation and support of our volunteers at any level and ability. Project Baseline Garda Lake

WHY

● There won’t be anything left to explore and appreciate if we accept the decline of our lakes and underwater realm, as the generations before us have done.

● We started this project so that divers and water passionate can work against this decline and do something about it everyday in their recreational activities. Project Baseline Garda Lake

WHY

● Be the protagonists in the efforts to understand, restore and protect the lake we explore and dive.

● Advocate for our mission locally and globally within the Project Baseline. Project Baseline Garda Lake

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

● We welcome all volunteers, from tech divers to beginners and anyone else interested in the wonders of the underwater world.

● Citizens are also fundamental outside of in-water activities with their support and engagement. Project Baseline Garda Lake

LAKE GARDA

● The is the largest lake in , and lays on a surface of 370 km2. It reaches a maximum depth of 346 meters. The lake is shared by three regions (, , and -Alto ) and three respective provinces (, , and ).

● Its coordinates are 45,633333, 10,666667 Project Baseline Garda Lake

LAKE GARDA

● In Roman times, the lake was known as Benaco, while the current Germanic name originated in the Middle Ages and it is inspired by the homonymous town on the Eastern shores of the lake. Project Baseline Garda Lake

LAKE GARDA

● Garda as well as , and other less known towns, such as Gàrdola, Gardoncino, Gardoni, Guàrdola e Le Garde, prove the significant Germanic presence on the lake between the VI and VIII centuries, particularly the Lombards. Project Baseline Garda Lake

THE PROJECT

● The project started with the first data collection efforts in January 2017. As climate change is worsening and oceans are declining with it, as well as our lakes, our group DirBergamo decided to start monitoring the changing status of the lake, within the global efforts of GUE and the Project Baseline at large. Project Baseline Garda Lake

THE PROJECT

● Each 4 months (in January, May, and September) the DirBergamo and its volunteers will monitor water temperature, outside temperature, depth, and visibility at each station.

● We will create a data baseline that will allow to better understand how the global climate change is affecting our lake locally and throughout history. We hope that this will support conservation efforts and scientific work in the years to come. Project Baseline Garda Lake

SECCHI DISK The Secchi disk is a tool used to measure the water transparency. Padre Angelo Secchi invented it in 1865, who used it for the first time on a cruise aboard the Immacolata Concezione pyrocorvette in the . It is a circular disk of 25cm in diameter, with black and white quadrants. Originally, the disk was slowly lowered down in the water with a measured line. The depth at which the disk was no longer visible was then taken as the transparency measure of the water. Project Baseline Garda Lake

STATION 1

Salò (BS) Lido delle Tavine Coordinates: 45,59736 10,52201 Placed on November 20th, 2016 Project Baseline Garda Lake

STATION 2

Riva del Garda (TN) Porto San Nicolò Coordinates: 45,87696 10,85662 Placed on November 27th, 2016 Project Baseline Garda Lake

STATION 3

Torri del Benaco (VR) Punta Cavallo (Presepio) Coordinates: 45,61227 10,68575 Placed on December 8th, 2016 Project Baseline Garda Lake

STATION 4

Manerba del Garda (BS) Via Seselle San Sivino Wall Coordinates: 45,53110 10,55992 Placed on December 11th, 2016 Project Baseline Garda Lake

STATION 5

Nago Torbole (TN) Tempesta Coordinates: 45,83766 – 10,85880

Placed on September 27th, 2020 with the collaboration of Scuba Litrox and Merano Club Sommozzatori Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake Project Baseline Garda Lake

Project Manager MARCO GRITTI

Presentation by MARCO GRITTI Project Baseline Garda Lake