As stated by the Region, the objective of the contract titled "CLEANING OF THE BED OF DITCH I1 WITHIN THE CITY OF LARISA," with a budget of €350,000 (including VAT), is to carry out maintenance and restoration works on existing flood protection infrastructure.
A site inspection was conducted at one of the most significant flood protection projects affecting the city of Larisa, the Ditch I1, which connects the Peneus River and its inner bed from the height of Saki Karayiorgas Street. The inspection was led by the Regional Governor of Thessaly, Dimitris Kouretas, accompanied by the Deputy Regional Governor of Larissa, Maria Galliou, and the Head of the Environmental Structures Department of the Directorate of Technical Works, Anestis Triantafyllou.
Ditch I1 receives water from the "Toumpa" ditch and the "Gkousmpasaniotis" stream. Significant degradation occurred in the deep bed, parts of the wide bed, and disruption of embankment sections during the flooding events of September 2023. This was due to the long-standing growth of tree vegetation, which hindered water drainage, resulting in the deposition of debris in the bed, ultimately leading to the embankments being overtopped.
To ensure the uninterrupted flow of water in Ditch I1, it is necessary to restore its hydraulic cross-section by removing debris, landfill, and vegetation from the bed. The restoration of the hydraulic cross-section in areas impacted by flooding, which altered the deep bed, parts of the wide bed, surrounding agricultural lands, and embankments, is also required. The removal of the hydrophilic vegetation that has grown within the wide bed of the ditch is being carried out under the necessary permit obtained from the Forestry Directorate, with the works being supervised by the relevant Forestry Service.
Upon completion of this contract, another will follow that will focus on the internal bed of the Peneus River (the old bed) to ensure its functionality in case of future flooding events. This is particularly important since stormwater drainage pipes from the neighborhoods of Larissa discharge into the external bed, and clearing it of silt and vegetation will improve the flow and ensure safer management of flood events.
