CORRELATION OF FLUVIAL STRATH TERRACES IN THE RENO RIVER VALLEY, ITALY

The nature and timing of Quaternary tectonic activity of the Reno River Valley (Fiume Reno) in the northern Apennines, Italy, has previously been undocumented. While the valley contains a suite of 9 fluvial strath terraces (QT 1-9), individual terraces fragments are sometimes tectonically deformed (Pazzaglia, et al., 2003) and frequently isolated from one another making correlation using elevation above the modern channel difficult. In this study, terraces along a 15 km section of the Fiume Reno were correlated using soils and gravel deposits. By describing soils and conducting gravel clast counts it was possible to identify characteristics specific to each terrace. For example, a unique stage III carbonate horizon was consistently found in the QT 6 unit that has previously been dated at 12-18 ky. Preliminary paleo stream longitudinal profiles suggest that terrace straths are being deformed along an actively rising anticline centered approximately 25 km south of the city of Bologna. In addition, numerous faults have also been observed to offset terraces straths. For example, south of the town of Marzabotto, QT 5 is observed to be offset by approximately 8 m. These results represent some of the first evidence of late Quaternary faulting and deformation in this region of the northern Apennines.