Upgrading of the Dittaino River Conditions Assessment by Hydro-morphological Indices

This study adopts the IDRAIM (stream hydromorphological evaluation, analysis and monitoring) methodology, developed by Italy's National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), to carry out a comprehensive hydromorphological assessment of the Dittaino watershed (980 m2,), a sub-watershed of the Simeto Valley, located in eastern Sicily. IDRAIM classifies river confinement types by collecting data on physiographic units and morphological types. The main aim of the research is to understand and address river dynamics changes to enhance ecological quality and reduce flood risks of the Dittaino watershed. Tools such as Event Dynamics Classification Index (EDC), Morphological Corridors (MC), and Event Morphodynamic Corridors (EMC) are used to analyze short-term morphological changes caused by significant flow alterations. A relative elevation model (REM) known as “Height Above River” (HAR) was adopted to measure the river level elevation instead of sea level, identifying geomorphological features such as meander cutoff, terraces and meander lakes by using Thiessen polygons. The results from EDC classifications show different levels of stability across the river segments: 59% having a very high classification, 30% high, and 11% medium-low stability. The MC area covers 23 km2 and it is mainly located upstream and in the middle of Dittaino river network. The EMC area covers 106 km2 and it is located in the Calderari stream and mainly downstream of the Dittaino network.