Cave diving in the Valbrenta

• Valbrenta: the springs lie in the Brenta valley between Bassano del Grappa and Cismon. Valstagna, Campolongo sul Brenta, San Nazario and Cismon del Grappa merged into the municipality of Valbrenta on 30 January 2019; Solagna (Fontanazzi) is a separate municipality. • Oliero (Covol dei Veci and dei Siori): online booking only, with Ivan Team, who run the park visits for the Comune di Valbrenta — at least 3 days ahead, €10 per diver, credit card, digital check-in per diver; office +39 0424 558250 (Mon–Fri). Park open March–October, closed Mondays (September: Tue–Fri 10:00–17:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–18:00); boat access depends on weather and water level. • Elefante Bianco: since 2008 every dive must be notified to the municipality at least 10 days ahead, with personal data and dive plan; signs in Italian and English at the lake. The fax/e-mail in the regulation belong to the former Comune di Valstagna — ask the Comune di Valbrenta how to notify now. • Gorgazzo (Polcenigo, PN): authorisation from the mayor, at least 7 working days ahead; zones to -18/-30/-42 m, 2–6 divers; €6 + €4 per person per session; Saturdays and public holidays 9:00–16:00 (Oct–Apr) or 9:00–18:00 (May–Sep), weekdays via the Centro Pordenonese Sommozzatori. • Water 8–9 °C year-round, air in the caves ~12 °C. Clear in dry periods; after heavy rain murky with strong flow — according to a 1999 description the Elefante Bianco needed 15 days or more to clear. Oliero discharges ~15 m³/s on average, double that in wet periods. • Safety: eleven cave divers have died in Elefante Bianco, Oliero and Fontanazzi since the 1970s (as of 2017). Accidents are handled by the fire brigade divers (Vigili del Fuoco) and the CNSAS (Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico). • Gas: we found no fill station in the Valbrenta itself. Nautica Mare (Caldiero, VR) and AREA SUB (Treviso) fill air, nitrox, O₂ and trimix; walk-in fills for visitors and sofnolime/CCR support: ask. • Emergency numbers: 112, or 118 for an ambulance; DAN Europe +39 06 4211 5685. • Hyperbaric chambers (SIMSI list March 2024, all with 24-hour service): OTI Medicale, Via degli Avieri 29, Torri di Quartesolo (VI), +39 0444 380240 (closest to Valstagna); ATiP, Via A. Cornaro 1, Padova, +39 049 807 0843 (activated 24/7 via 118); Istituto Iperbarico, Via Francia 35, Villafranca di Verona, +39 045 630 0300; O.T.I. Services, Via delle Macchine 15, Marghera (VE), +39 041 538 1182; for Friuli: Ospedale di Cattinara, Strada di Fiume 447, Trieste, +39 040 399 4178 / 4175. • Rest day: boat tour in the Grotta Parolini and the caving museum at Oliero; rafting and canoeing on the Brenta (Ivan Team, Solagna); in the Valsugana the Grotta della Bigonda (guided visits in winter only) and the Grotta del Calgeron (guided visits; the path was closed for works in Sept 2026).