Venice: Problem
Venetian scenes like this one have become almost as representative of the city
as its gondolas and elegant architecture. The ground on which Venice lies is
famously sinking. This, combined with rising sea levels and periodic storms
that cause the Adriatic Sea to flood Venice's lagoon, creates a phenomenon
known as acqua alta, or high water—in other words, flooding.
Venetians have dealt with the rising water for centuries by raising the level
of floors in buildings and the pavement along city canals, but powerful storms
can still prove destructive.
