Monitoring systems with mussels in the cages installed in the Paglia River section are operative

The installation of the mussel monitoring stations has been finalized. The system on the pile of the bridge has been made operative on 31st March 2022 just before the occurrence of a flood event (maximum water level =2.73 m).

Preliminary results based on the comparison between the median mussels’ opening (0%=closed, 100%=open, figure on the left) and water level, conductivity and temperature measured by the multiparametric probe (figure on the right) show that the mussels clearly and immediately reacting to increasing water level, not only during the two peaks of the flood, but also in correspondence of the small water level variations around 21:30 and 00:30 of the first night. It is also interesting to notice that the behavior of the mussels is quite comparable among the 13 individuals. 

The system in the lateral pool under the bridge has been finalized and made operative on 7th April 2022.

The figure shows the median mussels’ opening recorded for this second monitoring system.

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