Works supervision of the Basento – Brandano water scheme – Acerenza section distribution – Banzi, Genzano, Palazzo SG and Irsina (Italy)

The project concerns the construction of water supply and distribution works for irrigation purposes within the Basento - Bradano water framework and it covers various municipalities of the Bradanese plateau (about 5.200 hectares in the Province of Potenza – South of Italy).

The area is located in the plain of the Basentello valley, on the right bank of the river, starting immediately upstream of the Serra del Covo reservoir, going up to the immediate vicinity of the urban settlement of Palazzo S. Gervasio. The altitude ranges from a minimum altitude of 350 m to l.m.m. at a maximum altitude of 430 m s.l.m.

The works include a bored tunnel of about 4 km excavated with a TBM, a system of main distribution pipelines of about 12 km with 3 compensation basins connected with each other, and a distribution network of about 320 km.

More in details the features of the adduction works included in the project can be divided into:

Main Adduction Works

• Cut and cover tunnel by Acerenza ø 3,200, maximum capacity 10.8 mc / s;
• Cut and cover tunnel to and from the Genzano reservoir ø 3,200, maximum capacity 10.8 mc / s;
• Hydraulic distributor Porter and tower in Genzano;
• Natural tunnel ø 3,200, maximum capacity 10.8 mc / s;
• Tower and disconnection tank on the Marascione ditch;
• Guard house;
• Steel roof conduit ø 3.000, maximum capacity 10.8 mc / s;
• Underground centrifugal conduit. ø 3,000, max. capacity 10.8 mc / s;
• Hydraulic distributor in Marascione.

Secondary Adduction Works

• Adductor B1 to the centrifugal V1- PRFV. ø 800, maximum flow rate 0.407 mc / s;
• Adductor B2 to the centrifugal V2-PRFV. ø 600, maximum flow 0.315 mc / s;
• Adductor B3 to the centrifugal V3- PRFV. ø 900, maximum flow 0.558 mc / s;
• 3 compensation basins for a total of about 50,000 cubic meters
• Pumping stations for the compensation basins.

Distribution works

• Distribution network for the various sub-district for a total of 320 km of minor pipes.

The natural tunnel has a length of about 4000 m and is characterized by a constant slope of 0.2% which will allow to transport the water collected at the Genzano entrance towards the Marascione entrance for a maximum capacity of 10.8 mc / s. The tunnel is characterized by a variable coverage (Hmax = approx. 140 m) and during operation it will be subjected to an internal hydraulic pressure of about 1 bar. The excavation takes place by means of a shielded TBM.