Lago di Vinzaglio reclamation project – 1812
“VINZAGLIO LAKE OR MARSH” RECLAMATION PROJECT undertaken in 1812 and concluded in 1813
Reclamation project with the creation (in pencil) of a new drainage channel in which the waters of the Vinzaglio swamp together with the Crocetto, instead of flowing into the Gamarra canal, are diverted into the new cable called Cavo Gallarati Scotti
Current state plan (see administration plan) with the captions and quotes below:
The waters of the Vinzaglio Marsh and the Roggia Gognola, having to be derived and conducted with the K.M.O. cables separately from the waters of the Galetto and Crocetto cables, unlike the ancient practice according to which through the tortuous cable, marked in the Type without color and to which they Messrs. Pizzotti replaced the straight cable K., they converged in the Crocetto at the point in the Type L.
The intervention made it possible on the one hand to provide water, which was in short supply, to the five possessions, namely Celpenchio, Buscajo, Spagna, Cassinetta and Favorita and on the other to prevent the flooding of the Vinzaglio Marsh on all occasions of showers thunderstorms.
A. Indication of a trunk of Cavo called the Crocetto, carrying waters coming from the upper regions, spring waters, and flows that enter it from Mr. Arconati’s lands.
B. Cavo called the Galletto, coming from the assets of the Vignetta and the Torrione, whose coli are donated to the Crocetto.
C. Pile lock.
D. Terracotta building called stravacchino, intended to regulate the derivation of useful water at every occurrence and, with greater ease, the discharge of exuberant water in the event of bad weather or drainage.
E. Cables which, derived from the said lock and the stravacchino, flow together to form a single cable called Crocetto and also Molinato. It carries the water up to the Sesia river.
F. Cavo which, after passing the stravacchino, follows the Crocetto and will be useful for irrigating the Pizzotti brothers’ assets in the part of the Palestro territory called the Island (marked in red). The Pizzottis will have the right to extract all the water they need from this cable.
G. Mill in the island district, owned by the Pizzotti family, for the rotation of which the use of the waters of the Crocetto mentioned above is reserved to them.
H. Terracotta bridge where the water of the Lake or Marsh of Vinzaglio and the flows coming from some assets of the Arconati family cross the road of Vercelli.
K. Water shunt cable from the Lake or Marsh of Vinzaglio into which, on the left, the waters of the Gognola and other assets of Mr. Arconati flow. With a straight section, it replaced the previous tortuous cable, separating the waters of the swamp from those of the Crocetto.
L. Point where the waters of the old tortuous cable joined those of the Crocetto.
M. New cable formed for the diversion of the waters of the swamp, of the Gognola, and of Mr. Arconati’s assets, separately from the Crocetto.
N. Ancient terracotta building called the Doppiera del Gemignone, useful for facilitating the annual purges.
O. Ancient cable called Gemignone. Currently it limits part of the assets referred to in letter F. to Tramontana, Levante and Mezzogiorno and collects its assets.
P. Fosso seeks to be formed to circumscribe the other part of the aforementioned assets in the South and West, and to collect the waste.
Q. Point at which, just below the Mulino dell’Isola, all the waters which the Pizzottis sell to the Gallarati Scotti come together.
R. Section of cable, called Roggia Lago, which was handed over to the Gallarati Scotti family to divert the aforementioned waters and to serve as a discharger.
S. Indication that is believed to be suitable for Messrs. Gallarati Scotti for the development of the new cable in the Palestro area, without prejudice to any necessary contingent variations.
T. Wooden bridge over the Gemignone cable.
U. Terracotta channel.
X. Trunk of the Ajazza cable.
Regarding the Lake or Marsh of Vinzaglio
I. Spring eyes and continuous cable rod, existing in the said swamp.
II. Spring ditch and drain of part of the Arconati assets.
III. Cable to be formed for swamp reclamation.
IV. Confluence of the water of the said ditch and cable.