Morphotectonic Features in the Middle Biferno River Valley: The Case of Ponte Liscione Dam (Central Italy)

Abstract

This paper presents a morphometric and structural-geomorphological approach to identifying morphotectonic features across an area underlain by lithologies that do not easily record tectonic deformations but are widely affected by seismic activity. The middle Biferno River Valley (Central Italy) was chosen as a study area. It was investigated through analyses performed from the drainage basin scale (Biferno River) to the local scale (Ponte Liscione Dam). This methodological approach was applied to investigate the impact of morphotectonic processes in the study area, providing a geomorphology-based contribution to landscape evolution. The aim of the work was to discriminate the main morphotectonic elements acting in the complex tectonic framework of the study area by means of a combination of morphometric, morphotectonic, and structural-geomorphological analyses. The resulting data allowed us to identify three main systems of tectonic elements (F1, F2, and F3), which are attributable to compressive and extensional kinematics, as already reported in previous thematic studies. The tectonic setting reflects the geodynamic framework of the Periadriatic region, as highlighted by the distribution of seismogenic sources and the historical to recent seismicity. Finally, the present work could act as a valuable scientific tool for any geomorphological studies aimed at better defining the impact of morphotectonic processes in similar tectonically active regions hosting important and strategic artificial dams.