Lessons learnt from the Stava Valley disaster of July 19th 1985

In 1985 the failure of two impoundments at the service of a fluorite mine in the upper Stava valley (northern Italy) resulted in the propagation of a flowslide which completely devastated this alpine valley causing the death of 268 persons and high economic and environmental damage. The causes and responsibilities of this catastrophic event are described, stressing the low level of safety that in many cases earth structures of this kind have. The aftermath of the Stava disaster prompted the institution of the “Stava 1985 Foundation”, a non-profit agency dedicated to keep alive the memory of this and other similar disasters caused by short-sighted cost cutting, neglect, superficiality and the lack of attention paid to personal responsibilities. The goals and educational activities of this Foundation consist in the running of a Museum and Documentation Centre, located where the event occurred, and in a Remembrance Footpath that unravels across the places where the mine activity was carried out and where the tailings dams stood. Conferences and other events related to the management of tailings dams are held in the conference hall of this center for the general public and for experts. The Stava 1985 Foundation has also sponsored a 2nd level Master in order to qualify young engineers and geologists in the proper construction and management of large geotechnical structures and make them aware of the risks involved. The Stava Foundation is also twinned with other institutions from places where similar disasters occurred, such as Vajont (Italy), Sgorigrad (Bulgaria) and Merrespruit (South Africa).