The Po river It is a European stream that originates in the central Alps of Europe, north of Italy and runs through the country from west to east. Its 652 km make it the longest river in the country, a fact recognized since ancient times by the Romans who considered it the king of the empire's rivers.
Also considered the largest tributary in Italy, the Po moves an average of 1,540 m3/ s. Its basin bathes approximately 74,970 km² of territory belonging to France, Switzerland and Italy on a route that he takes exclusively on Italian soil. In principle in a mountainous environment, to then advance downstream until entering a wide valley that transports it towards its mouth.
The Po is a multifaceted river, being the link with one of the most important industrial areas in Italy. Its waters bathe important urban centers and give life to beautiful natural landscapes. It protects an important part of the cultural legacy of the West by witnessing the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.
The river delta was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999, an action that served to protect the natural environment of its delta that serves as habitat for a large number of bird species.
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Before the splendor of the Roman Empire, the Italian territory was occupied since prehistoric times by various human groups who left their mark through monuments and archaeological remains..
From the seventeenth century a. C. people belonging to the Terramare culture settled in the territory of the Po river basin, who inhabited mainly on the banks of the river, in the Po valley.
A differentiating sign of this culture was that they lived in stilt houses, a primitive dwelling built on platforms over floodplains. Its structure was made of wood from native trees and the walls were filled with a mixture of cow excrement and mud..
These constructions were called "Terramar", when a house burned it was demolished and covered with earth. The mounds formed were appreciable in the Po Valley until the middle of the 19th century, when they were flattened to take advantage of the land for construction..
The peoples of the Terramare culture depended on the river for their livelihood and to develop river exchanges. Around 1150 a. C. it is estimated that the Terramare had a population of between 150,000 to 200,000 inhabitants. However, their culture suffered a collapse that forced them to leave the Po Valley, the territories they occupied would only regain that important population density during the Roman Empire..
In the Iron Age, between the 9th and 8th centuries BC. C. tribes of the Villanovian civilization settled in the center and east of the valley of the river Po. They were noted for their artisan creations (especially for their metallurgical work) and their elaborate funeral rites..
From the seventh century the Etruscans and later the Romans dominated the territory, the latter were ultimately the most important civilization in the Italian peninsula. Until the 18th century, the territory corresponding to Italy was divided into different states governed under a feudal conception. In the 19th century, the reunification process began under the auspices of the Count of Cavour, representative of the Kingdom of Sardinia..
Once the unification of Italy was achieved in 1861, a slow process of internal migrations began that favored the north of the country. It is estimated that between the 1950s and 1960s the industrial sector of the Po Valley had grown by 27%.
Historically, the territory bathed by the Po River has suffered floods because its channel runs through generally flat terrain and increases abruptly due to the contributions of its tributaries. In 1951 the last great flood occurred that affected the populations settled on its banks, this event left a balance of 89 human losses. On that occasion, the riverbed increased to more than 10,000 m3/ s.
In 1995 the city of Ferrara, capital of the homonymous province of the Emilia-Romagna region, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to the state of conservation and the perfect combination of medieval and Renaissance styles in its historic center. In 1999 this recognition was extended to the delta of the Po River, for its value for the conservation of biodiversity.
The channel of the Po river is navigable from the Adriatic Sea to the town of Casale Monferrato, in the province of Alessandria in the Piedmont region. The valley of the Po river is also known as the Padana Plain, an area in which the most important industrial park in Italy is located..
The delta the river Po occupies an area of 380 kmtwo approximately. It begins in the city of Ferrara, where the riverbed is divided into five branches that extend to the Adriatic Sea.
Its delta has not stopped growing and it is estimated that it advances 60 meters towards the sea annually, gaining territory. This phenomenon is due to two factors: on the one hand, there is the large amount of suspended sediment that it receives from its tributaries; and on the other, its great flow that prevents the sediment from settling upstream and being dragged to its delta.
On the first Sunday of June, an event called 'Un Po para todos' is held in the riverside towns of the Po, in order to celebrate the life of the riverside populations and their relationship with the river. Outdoor activities are organized to enjoy the scenery and sporting events to share with the family. In the following video you can see images of this river:
The Po river is born in the central Alps of Europe, northwest of Italy, at 2,022 meters above sea level on a slope of Monte Viso in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont region.
The course of the Po River is divided into arms, forming islands of different sizes along its route. On the way to its mouth, the Po touches the Italian provinces of Cuneo, Turin and Alessandria in the Piedmont region with its waters; the provinces of Pavia, Lodi, Cremona and Mantua in the Lombardy region; the provinces of Piacenza, Parma, Reggio Emilia and Ferrara in the Emilia-Romagna region and the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region.
It empties into the Adriatic Sea through a delta that spans 380 km² after a 652 km journey through the Alps and the Padan plain.
It is estimated that 20% of the population of Italy lives along the Po river basin. This large population concentration generates environmental pollution problems that directly affect the river.
Gas emissions from industries and vehicles are concentrated in the area due to the convergence of air masses that come from the Alps and the sea, generating the phenomenon known as 'smog'. Falling rain dilutes the chemicals present in the atmosphere, carrying them to the river.
In 2010, an act of sabotage brought the load of 170 diesel and automotive oil tanks to the waters of the Lambro River, and a few hours later they reached the Po River, affecting aquatic ecosystems..
Cleaning days were carried out, however specialists affirm that due to the nature of the spilled product, at least half of its oily components will remain at the bottom of the river, requiring decades of cleaning work to eradicate the damage..
Eventually, wastewater from industries and cities reaches the river directly or through its tributaries. Fortunately, due to the importance of the Po river channel, many environmental organizations closely monitor and report any event that endangers the quality of the water..
The main economic activity of the Po river basin is developed by the industrial sector in the Padana plain. In 2019, the Italian industrial sector contributed 29% of GDP, employing 32% of the country's workers.
Among the active industries in the basin, refineries and petrochemicals stand out; metallurgical companies, dedicated to the processing of iron, steel and aluminum; agrochemicals, mainly dedicated to the production of fertilizers; automobile and machinery industries; textile companies that feed the Italian fashion market and export raw materials to international markets.
The agro-industrial sector stands out for the processing of foreign raw materials and their re-export in the form of finished products. An example of this are pasta and olive oils. 60% of the territory of the Po river basin is dedicated to agricultural activities, producing almost 50% of this item in the country.
In the automotive sector, the Fiat company stands out, founded in 1899, whose headquarters were located in the city of Turin until its merger in 2009 with another North American company.
In second place are the activities of services, commerce and tourism, this sector is fed by the large number of tourists who visit the territory of the Po basin to enjoy the landscapes of the Alps, the cities of the valley and the coasts of the sea. Adriatic.
Along the Po river basin there are approximately 16 million people, which represents 20% of the population of Italy according to 2019 data. The population is unevenly distributed between small towns of less than 500 people, medium and large, with metropolitan areas of more than a million people.
Among the most important cities in terms of population that the River Po runs through on its way to the Adriatic Sea are:
Turin is the capital of the homonymous province of the Piedmont region, it is the most populated city that touches the Po river. In 2018 it had 882,523 inhabitants, although it is considered that the population of its metropolitan area reaches 2,200,000 inhabitants. It is one of the most industrialized cities in Italy. Together with Milan and Genoa it forms the so-called "industrial triangle".
Ferrara is the capital of the homonymous province of the Emilia-Romagna region. In 2017 it had 132,009 inhabitants. Thanks to the impeccable state of conservation of its medieval and Renaissance-style historic center, it was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.
Plasencia is the capital of the homonymous province of the Emilia-Romagna region. In 2017 it had 102,355 inhabitants. In this city you can visit monuments and castles of medieval origin and enjoy its wine culture.
Cremona is the capital of the homonymous province of the Lombardy region. In 2016 it had 72,095 inhabitants. The city is famous for being the birthplace of two families of luthiers who excelled in creating violins: Stradivari and Guarneri.
The river Po receives more than 100 tributaries on its way to the Adriatic Sea and its channel forms and feeds on more than 400 lakes, among which the Garda and Maggiore stand out..
Among the most important rivers that contribute their waters to the river Po are Tanaro, Pellice, Secchia, Ágona, Dora, Panaro, Sesia, Baltea, Taro, Adda, Trebbia, Oglio, Dora Riparia, Ticino and Mincio.
On its way to the sea, the Po River crosses the territory of three natural reserves before opening into its delta and being protected by the Po Delta Regional Park. These green areas are very valuable for the preservation of river ecosystems and their self-regulation.
Common species include horse oak, water fern, white poplar, swallowtail, southern ash, hairy grass, white willow, European hornbeam, black alder, common elm, flower ash, black poplar, scalp oak, black , bog, russet pine, chestnut, European birch, heather, holm oak, stone pine, snowdrop, European white water lily and female marsh fern.
The natural areas of the Po river basin under special protection regime are the ideal habitat to protect a large number of species, among which are red deer, Italian crested newt, flamingo, common goby, red-legged hawk, tree frog Italian, Tern, Brown Spade Toad, Crabeater Heron, Arctic Plover, Shiny Ibis, Carp and Bechstein's Bat.
Also purple heron, sturgeon, northern Italian cockroach, Spanish sparrow, iron duck, greater nocturnal bat, black-winged stilt, catfish, crested porcupine, trout, Mediterranean gull, polecat, common red oystercatcher, catfish, tern-billed seagull, pygmy cormorant, kestrel and gray heron.
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