the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
| 19 Sep 2024
Features of the Italian Large Dams and their upstream catchments
Abstract. In Italy, a complete and updated database including the most relevant structural information regarding reservoirs and the characteristics of their upstream watersheds is currently missing. This paper tackles this gap by presenting the first comprehensive dataset of 528 Large Dams in Italy. Alongside structural details of the dams, such as coordinates, reservoir surface area and volume, the dataset also encompasses a range of geomorphological, climatological, extreme rainfall, land cover and soil-related attributes of their upstream catchments. The data used to create this dataset are partially sourced from the General Department of Dams and Hydro-Electrical Infrastructures, as well as from the processing of updated and standardized grid data. This dataset (Evangelista et al., 2024a. Available at: https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.12818297), which contains information not easily available in other similar global or national data collections, is expected to be of great help for a broad spectrum of hydrological applications, ranging from modelling to water resource management.
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RC1: 'Comment on essd-2024-387', Anonymous Referee #1, 29 Oct 2024
The paper by Evangelista et al. introduces a detailed dataset of large dams in Italy, covering structural data (e.g., location, surface area, volume) and upstream catchment attributes (e.g., geomorphology, climate, extreme rainfall, land cover, soil).
The paper is well structured and well written, easily to follow and with figures drawn with care. The reading is smooth, and it provides detailed information regarding the methods used to build the dataset. The final aim of the dataset is of utmost importance as it may support diverse hydrological applications, from modelling to water resource management.
I have no major issues to point out, only some minor points that I list in the following.
In the Abstract “from the processing of updated and standardized grid data”, please consider adding a specification of the source
Add a line in between rows in the last column of Table 1 as it difficult to read, the same applies to Table 2
Line 234: “NDVI” please provide the explanation of the acronym at its first appearance
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-387-RC1 -
RC2: 'Comment on essd-2024-387', Anonymous Referee #2, 19 Dec 2024
The MS presents the first Italian national database of large dams enriched by a vide range of structures and catchment characteristics.
The aim is to present and describe the dataset that can be used for a range of hydrological and water management issues, inclduing flood mitigation, water resource management and so.
The MS is well written, well illustrated and pretty clear.
I really welcome the database and the overall work and I am fully convinced about the need for such an effort, whose utility is not under discussion and goes beyond the open access policy of environmental data.
I also encourage the authors to pursue this type of initiatives, hoping Italy will have in the future a database similar to the French ROE, which includes the whole range of river infrastructures at national scale, not ony hydrologically relevant ones (see: https://www.eaufrance.fr/les-obstacles-lecoulement-des-eaux-de-surface).I only have minor concerns:
- Some recent and relevant publications on the topic are missing, notably:
Belletti et al. 2020, which already published the location of such dams within a larger dataset of man-made barriers concerning European rivers in the context of the H2020 AMBER project (https://amber.international/).
As well, the authors should probably mention the recent GDW initiative that, building on previous works and existing networks, is trying to build such detailed database at the global scale (https://www.globaldamwatch.org/). - The definition of the structures included in the database is incomplete: what do you mean with river barriers? I would suggest to add pictures and description for the different dam types (as an annex). This is needed to make the MS and the database accessible to a wider public (e.g. not specialists in hydrology or dam engineers).
- The aim of the work is unclear times to times: is it the publication of the database? the characteristic provided? the new characteristics measured? The indicators/metrics? Please clarify.
- Finally, the scope of the database seems a bit too narrow, notably in the discussion part (chapter 5): the authors mainly highlight flood mitigation issues but they could have mentioned broad water ressources management issues (e.g. water scarcity). Some critical considerations about environmental challenges related to the presence of dams versus other (human) uses would have been welcomed as well. Actually, it is a pity that the authors don't further discuss the catchment scale characteristics and how these can be used for different purposes.
I have provided some comments and suggestions in an edited version of the PDF, see attached.
- Some recent and relevant publications on the topic are missing, notably:
Data sets
Italian Large Dams Giulia Evangelista, Paola Mazzoglio, Daniele Ganora, Francesca Pianigiani, and Pierluigi Claps https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.12818297
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