Tanaro River
Encyclopedia
The Tanaro (ˈtaːnaro), known as Tanarus in ancient times, is a 276 km
-long river
in northwestern Italy
. It rises in the Ligurian Alps
, close to the border with France
and is the most significant right-side tributary to the Po
in terms of length, size of drainage basin
(partly Alpine
, partly Apennine
) and discharge
.
at the confluence of two small torrents whose sources are in Piedmont
: the Tanarello and the Nerone.
The main source of the Tanarello is on the slopes of Monte Saccarello
above Monesi, a village belonging to the commune of Triora
(IM
). This mountain straddles the French
département of Alpes-Maritimes
, the Piedmontese province of Cuneo
and the Ligurian province of Imperia
and marks the juncture of the watersheds between three drainage basins: that of the Tanaro itself, that of the Roya , which rises in France but enters the sea at Ventimiglia
; and the Argentina which flows into the Ligurian Sea
at Taggia
.
The sources of the Negrone are some 10 km to the north, very close to the French border and south of Punta Marguereis.
from the left, and the Bormida and Belbo
from the right.
, Alba, Asti
and Alessandria
before entering the Po near Bassignana
in the Province of Alessandria
.
s or glaciers large enough to provide a steady source of water during the summer. Furthermore the Alpine zone forms only a part of the basin drained by the Tanaro. The seasonal regime of the river is therefore more typical of an Apennine torrent, with a maximum discharge (which can reach 1,700 m³/s) in spring and autumn and a very small rate of flow in the summer.
on April 6, 402.
Kilometre
The kilometre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres and is therefore exactly equal to the distance travelled by light in free space in of a second...
-long river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in northwestern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It rises in the Ligurian Alps
Ligurian Alps
The Ligurian Alps are a mountain range in northwestern Italy. A small part is located in France. They form the south-western extremity of the Alps, separated from the Apennines by the Colle di Cadibona. The Col de Tende separates them from the Maritime Alps...
, close to the border with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and is the most significant right-side tributary to the Po
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
in terms of length, size of drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
(partly Alpine
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, partly Apennine
Apennine mountains
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains or Greek oros but just as often used alone as a noun. The ancient Greeks and Romans typically but not always used "mountain" in the singular to mean one or a range; thus, "the Apennine mountain" refers to the entire chain and is translated "the Apennine...
) and discharge
Discharge (hydrology)
In hydrology, discharge is the volume rate of water flow, including any suspended solids , dissolved chemical species and/or biologic material , which is transported through a given cross-sectional area...
.
Source
The Tanaro proper begins in LiguriaLiguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
at the confluence of two small torrents whose sources are in Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
: the Tanarello and the Nerone.
The main source of the Tanarello is on the slopes of Monte Saccarello
Monte Saccarello
Monte Saccarello is a mountain in Liguria, northern Italy, part of the Ligurian Alps.-References:...
above Monesi, a village belonging to the commune of Triora
Triora
Triora is an elite member of I Borghi Piú Belli d'Italia, a list of the top 100 most beautiful medieval citadels in Italy. It is also a member of Touring Club Italia Bandiere Arancioni, a similarly prestigious club which lists the best places for tourists to enjoy...
(IM
Province of Imperia
The Province of Imperia is a mountainous and hilly province, in the Liguria region of Italy, situated between the Maritime Alps to the north and the Ligurian Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea to the south...
). This mountain straddles the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
département of Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
, the Piedmontese province of Cuneo
Province of Cuneo
ayr is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ....
and the Ligurian province of Imperia
Province of Imperia
The Province of Imperia is a mountainous and hilly province, in the Liguria region of Italy, situated between the Maritime Alps to the north and the Ligurian Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea to the south...
and marks the juncture of the watersheds between three drainage basins: that of the Tanaro itself, that of the Roya , which rises in France but enters the sea at Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia is a city and comune in Liguria, northern Italy, in the province of Imperia. It is located southwest of Genoa by rail, and 7 km from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia River, which divides the town into two parts...
; and the Argentina which flows into the Ligurian Sea
Ligurian Sea
The Ligurian Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, between the Italian Riviera and the island of Corsica. The sea is probably named after the ancient Ligures people.-Geography:...
at Taggia
Taggia
Taggia is a comune in the Province of Imperia in the Italian region Liguria, located about 110 km southwest of Genoa and about 15 km west of Imperia. It has c...
.
The sources of the Negrone are some 10 km to the north, very close to the French border and south of Punta Marguereis.
Tributaries
The main tributaries to the Tanaro are the Stura di DemonteStura di Demonte
Stura di Demonte is a 111 km long river in northwestern Italy . It is a tributary to the river Tanaro, which is a tributary of the river Po. Its source is in the Alps, near the border with France. It flows through Demonte and Cuneo before joining the Tanaro just east of Cherasco....
from the left, and the Bormida and Belbo
Belbo
The Belbo is a river of southern Piedmont, Italy. It is a right-side tributary of the Tanaro.The Belbo rises in the Langhe, on the borders between Piedmont and Liguria in the hills of Montezemolo....
from the right.
Course
The Tanaro flows past the towns CevaCeva
Ceva, the ancient Ceba, is a small Italian town in the province of Cuneo, region of Piedmont, 49 km east of Cuneo. It lies on the right bank of the Tanaro on a wedge of land between that river and the Cevetta stream.-History:...
, Alba, Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
and Alessandria
Alessandria
-Monuments:* The Citadel * The church of Santa Maria di Castello * The church of Santa Maria del Carmine * Palazzo Ghilini * Università del Piemonte Orientale-Museums:* The Marengo Battle Museum...
before entering the Po near Bassignana
Bassignana
Bassignana is a municipality in the Province of Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy. The village is situated near the confluence of the Po River and the Tanaro river....
in the Province of Alessandria
Province of Alessandria
The Province of Alessandria is an Italian province, with a population of some 430,000, which forms the southeastern part of the region of Piedmont. The provincial capital is the city of Alessandria....
.
Regime
The discharge is subject to a great deal of seasonal variation. Although, uniquely among the Po’s right-side tributaries, the river has an Alpine origin, the Ligurian Alps are of an insufficient altitude, and too close to the sea, to allow for the formation of snow fieldSnow field
A snow field, snowfield or neve is a permanent accumulation of snow and ice, typically found below the snow line. Normally the term is applied to mountainous and glacial terrain. In glaciology, the term refers to areas of permanent snow cover....
s or glaciers large enough to provide a steady source of water during the summer. Furthermore the Alpine zone forms only a part of the basin drained by the Tanaro. The seasonal regime of the river is therefore more typical of an Apennine torrent, with a maximum discharge (which can reach 1,700 m³/s) in spring and autumn and a very small rate of flow in the summer.
Flood events
The river is highly prone to flooding. During the two hundred year period 1801–2001 parts of the Tanaro basin were affected by floods on 136 occasions, the most devastating being those of November 1994 when the whole of the river valley was affected by severe flooding and the town of Alessandria was especially stricken.History
The left bank of the Tanaro River near Asti is the scene of the Battle of PollentiaBattle of Pollentia
The Battle of Pollentia was fought on 6 April 402 between the Romans and the Visigoths.-Background:Theodosius I, the last emperor of both eastern and western halves of the Roman Empire, died in 395, leaving his sons Arcadius and Honorius emperors of the East and West, respectively...
on April 6, 402.