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San Matteo delle Chiaviche
The major drainage plant highlights the value of the precious water resources in the vast surrounding region.
It is a hamlet of the municipality of Viadana, famous for its floodplain area, whose name refers to the drainage system that draws water from the Oglio River to irrigate the fertile fields nearby.
The drainage plant plays a fundamental role in the disposal of water from a vast hydraulic basin of approximately 32,000 hectares. Through the Navarolo, Ceriana, and Fossola canals, it channels the tributary waters into the Oglio River, with a total flow rate of about 53,000 litres per second and a maximum altitude difference of 8 meters.
Built between 1920 and 1939, the plant spans an area of 182 meters in length by 35 meters in width, resting on foundations made entirely of chestnut wood stilts. Its architectural design was entrusted to Piero Portaluppi, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at the Politecnico di Milano.
In addition to its primary function in water management, the facility now houses the Interpretation and Documentation Centre of the Ecomuseum of Viadana, Commessaggio, Dosolo, and Gazzuolo.
