**6. Conclusion**

58 Studies on Environmental and Applied Geomorphology

Fig. 10. Landform triggered by the 2011 heavy rainfall event: a) Mosciano S. Angelo, rapid earthflows; b) Pineto, gullies on the coastal slope; c) F. Salinello, crevasse splay and fluvial erosion scarps; d) F. Salinello, fluvial erosion scarp affecting the valley road; e) F. Vomano, main river flooding affecting main roads; f) F. Salinello, damage to a bridge; g) F. Salinello,

flooding and crevasse splays along the main alluvial plain.

This work deals with the distribution of flooding and mass movements triggered by heavy rainfall events, analysing the effects of three events which occurred over the last ten years in the Abruzzo region (Central Italy). The analysis is carried out with regard to the geographical extent of the events (regional-local), its meteorological and pluviometric features (monthly, daily, hourly and cumulative rainfalls), the lithological and morphostructural setting, land use (also concerning the vegetation state and agricultural maintenance of cropland, olives and vineyards). The three events that are analysed all had different features (Tab. 1), concerning:


This variable conditions, taking into account also the general geomorphological setting and landslide distribution of the Abruzzo region, induced the trigger of different geomorphological instabilities (landslides, mass movements), concerning type and areal distribution, as summarised by Table 2.


Table 1. Main meteorological characteristics of the three heavy rainfall events studied in this work. Legend: Ihmax - maximum hourly rainfall intensity during the event; Pdmax- maximum daily rainfall during the event; Pctot - cumulative rainfall during the event; Pmtot - total rainfall during the event's month; P previous - rainfall in the month before the event.


Table 2. Geomorphological instability and landforms triggered by the three heavy rainfall events studied in this work. \*Data for the 2003 event are from D'Alessandro et al., 2004.

Geomorphological Instability Triggered

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This work allowed us to highlight that these types of methods, investigations and data are basic to applied geomorphological studies for the stabilisation and management of slopes and minor or major drainage basins as well as for general land management. Only a high level of knowledge of geomorphological instability - connected to drainage - geologicalgeomorphological and morphostructural features and meteorological events - particularly when joined to geotechnical data - allows for effective stabilisation and management plans.

Finally, these types of studies are basic and complementary to recent methods for the investigation and mapping of land sensitivity to geomorphological processes, such as landslides, soil erosion and desertification, etc. (Mitasova *et al*., 1996; Fluegel *et al*., 2003; Grimm *et al.,* 2003; Agnesi *et al.,* 2006; Ciccacci *et al.,* 2006; ISPRA, 2006; Marker *et al.,* 2008; and references therein), and they allow us to define future scenarios - which sustainable land planning and management should be based on - taking into account the specific destination of different areas and contributing to the identification of proper sites for quarrying, dumping and purification plant, etc., or else the proper areas for industries, urban expansion or supporting in general the process of creating an urban plan.
