Assessment of pit lakes at basin scale: changes in water quality from satellite imagery and limnological data in the Po River basin

During the Anthropocene intense extractive activity led to the formation of many pit lakes that have changed the morphology of the river basins. The quarrying activity determines the formation of depressions that modify the morphology and the drainage system in the hydrographic basins. In general, these artificial ecosystems can have both positive and negative impacts on the territory, depending on morphology and morphometry, location and anthropogenic pressures in the watershed. In the last decade, a renewed interest has been growing on pit lakes as tools for restoring rivers and their floodplains, in order to exploit their ecological functions compared to pristine riverine wetlands and small lakes which were lost due to anthropogenic pressures. In this regard, the primary aim of this study is to quantify the number, distribution, and major morphometric characteristics of these ecosystems in the Po river basin, in order to assess their relevance and suitability for ecological restoration purposes. To achieve this aim, a synergistic approach was used between regional databases, satellite archives, and remote sensing techniques.