Damming the Trebbia Valley in the XX century: an historical account of the Genova-Piacenza 'Water War'

This dissertation explores the socio-environmental history of the Trebbia River Valley, examining the tensions, negotiations, and transformations surrounding water management and dam construction from the early 20th century to the present. Framed within the growing interdisciplinary field of river studies and adopting a watershed perspective, the research investigates the Brugneto Dam as a key infrastructural and political object. Through a multi-scalar analysis, the study connects rural and mountainous territories with the urban-industrial needs of Genoa, revealing how resource use has been shaped by competing interests and shifting territorial hierarchies. Drawing on a diverse range of sources—including archival documents, oral histories, technical reports, and media—the research highlights how concepts of sustainability, territorial defense, and environmental awareness evolved from early agricultural resistance to large-scale mobilizations and institutionalized governance. By focusing on the socio-political implications of water abstraction and dam infrastructure, the study sheds light on the roles played by political institutions, environmental movements, and local communities. It also underscores how religious institutions, economic stakeholders, and historical memory shaped debates over the region’s development. The research engages with contemporary governance issues, such as administrative fragmentation and overlapping park and basin authorities. Ultimately, this dissertation contributes to environmental history, political ecology, and territorial sociology by demonstrating how rural and mountain communities have been active agents in contesting and reimagining the development trajectories imposed on their landscapes.