Po Valley

The plain of the Po is the gray area inside the red ellipse

The plain of the Po in Italy is the northern most fertile area thanks to the river and its many tributaries. The river ends in the Po delta in the Adriatic Sea.

Place names

The toponym Po Valley, or or in Italian, means a geographic area of Italy which coincides with the northern watershed of the River Po and the Po Delta , and covers a significant portion of the administrative regions of Piedmont of Lombardy , of Emilia Romagna and Veneto. Often used as a synonym for "Po Valley" or "low plain.

• The Po Valley is distinguished from the Po basin which includes the autonomous regions of Valle d'Aosta and Trentino.

General Information

Its area, nearly 90 000 sq km, spread over approximately one third (3.35) of the country, include 36 provinces, municipalities and 3 674 4 regions: Piedmont , Lombardy , Veneto , Emilia-Romagna.

• Area: 89,775 sq km
• Residents: 22 250 000 (2006)
• Job Industry:
• Service sector employment:
• Cattle:
• Pigs:
• Max Density:
• Density Min:
• Groundwater withdrawals:
• Samples of surface water:

Origin of the Po Valley

Hydrography of the Po Valley, major rivers

The Po plain occupies much of the Italian north, the Alps to the western Adriatic Sea , it has the shape of a triangle with an area of 46,000 square km, the longest high around 400 km, average width varies from 80 to 120 km and declines gradually towards the sea, with a frontage of 270 km. Near the center of the coastline begins Po delta. The coasts are low and sandy.

Po, Bodinens in Celtic, Greek and Eridanus in Latin Padus, which derives the adjective of the Po Valley crosses the plain from west to east.

Streams down the mountains, causing enormous amounts of silt. They were deposited and accumulated on the seabed, up close what, 5 million years ago, was a great gulf of the Adriatic Sea. The Po carries more than 10 300 m of water per second arriving in Ferrara (early Po delta ). The silting process, slow but inexorable, continuing for millions of years.

The Po delta (380 km ) continues to progress each year towards the Adriatic, even if such a process is hampered by the presence of dams that hold deposits of the rivers. In a distant time, it was covered with forests in the wetter (the lowland) and heather in the more arid (high plain). The silt and sediment basins accumulated over millennia have made very fertile land, with the presence in the basement area of Ravenna , including offshore, large sheets of natural gas ( methane discovered in 1949 by Enrico Mattei , then the oil ).

In fact, it constitutes a whole with: north-east, the Venetian plain, known as the Venetian Po Plain, alluvial origin created by the Adige to the south, the small plain of Romagna, also of alluvial origin , which is due to rivers flowing into the Adriatic Sea, from Montone and following eastward.

The high and low plain

The Po Valley has two zones with different characteristics: high and low plains.

These two areas differ significantly not only by altitude but also by the nature of soil, water regime and vegetation.

• The high plain, also known as "dry plain, lies at the foot of the Alps of Piedmont and the Apennines , the soil is permeable, consisting of sands and gravels, and fails to retain rainwater. It penetrates up to tens of meters to meet with a layer of impermeable rock. On impermeable rock water slides to the point where she can go back to the water table , giving origin to outbreaks or sources. Sources, with constant temperature (between 9 and 12 C) waters, led to the diffusion affected areas of particular cultures called knots (wet and greasy soils cultivated pastures).

Map of 1585 (Vatican Museums)-Romagna and the Po Delta

• On this line of revivals begins lowland, irrigated said. It has cons of soils formed from rocks more fines, clays usually impervious or low permeability, where the waters forming stagnant marshes and swamps , the Po delta.

This area includes the territories of the Bassa Padana and the Bassa Parmense extends from the Taro , in the province of Parma, in the west to the Adriatic coast to the east, is bounded on the north by the Po and the Adige to the south by the Apennines and is the Romagna (part of the Emilia-Romagna), ancient country of the Papal States until the Risorgimento.

Po overflows, rivers and streams that gully from the Apennines , made all the marshy area, anciently called Valle Padus (from Padus, the Roman name of the Po). Then, little by little (in a million years), alluvial sediments and some have closed naturally fertilizing the soil. The Romans played a significant role in the consolidation of land by creating the Via Emilia , digging drainage canals and practicing "centuriation" and large urban centers Forlimpopoli , Forli , Imola , Reggio Emilia , Cesena , Faenza and Fidenza.

Traces of the Roman centuriation

Demarcation of land in centuries

The centuriation Roman , is a technique of surveying has been used by the Romans in general to allocate land to settlers. Together, hydraulic works (construction of ditches) and service (construction of roads and paths) were performed.

It is remarkable that, more than 2000 years later, these forms still exist, at least in part, in the course of ditches, hedges and highways today. The networks are centuriation archaeological remains as well as other remains or inscriptions built.

The grid produced by the Roman surveyors overcomes the existing settlements and infrastructure. Form, generated by using a measuring instrument called groma , is based on orthogonal axes. Their orientation is variable (Romagna, usually 29 E relative to true north). On the main lines are constructed roads lined with ditches.

The map cons (IGM 1 / 25000 early ^twentieth century) is the Roman division of land that lie between the cities of Cervia and Cesena. Today, these parcels were merged into larger properties, but the roads and ditches still exist.

Information about the survey on the Roman site Archeogeographie.org

Influence of elements

Waters

• Influence of Water Po : from Piacenza in Modena
• Influence the price of Reno : from Bologna to Imola
• Influence of water Lamone , Savio and Marecchia : of Imola in Rimini.
• Influence of warm waters of the Adriatic Sea on the Veneto and Emilia Romagna. The influence of the Adriatic climate is felt until Austria , beyond the Brenner.

Climate

• Rainfall: 3 meters of water per year in the neighboring provinces of the Alps (Piedmont, Lombardy). Cons 1 m / year in Romagna. Intense fog in spring and autumn throughout the course of the Po.
• Temperatures: average 0-4 in January and +24 in June, except on the coast where the temperature is higher by 5 to 6 degrees. In summer (usually after August 15) of violent thunderstorms with hail disrupt the situation, causing extensive damage to crops.

Topography

The grade and slope affect the flow of water in agricultural areas. Bologna, 60 km (as the crow flies) from the sea, is only 54 meters above sea level. 9 meters Ferrara, Ravenna 4 meters (today) and Comacchio to 1 meter (on average).

Major rivers

• The Po has some 141 tributaries, the main ones:
  • Right Bank: Varaita, Maira Tanaro , Scrivia Curone, Staffora, Coppa, Scuropasso, Versa, Trebbia , Nure, Chiavenna Arda, Taro , Parma , Enza , Crostolo , Tidone, Secchia , Panaro.
  • Left Bank: Pellice , Dora Riparia , Stura di Lanzo, Dora , Sesia , Agogna , Terdoppio, Ticino , Olona , Lambro, Adda , Oglio , the Mincio.
• Major rivers of the Alps: Maggia , Adige , Piave , Meduna.
• Major rivers of the Apennines: Reno , Lamone , Montone , Ronco , Savio , Pisciatello , Rubicon , Uso , Marecchia.

Lakes and reservoirs

• Piedmont Lake Orta (18.2 km ²⁾ Viverone (6 km ²⁾ Mergozzo (1.85 km ^2), Candia (1.35 km ^2).
• Lombardy: Lake Maggiore (212 km ^2, depth = 372 m), Lake Varese (15 km ^2, depth = 26 m), Lake Idro (11 km ^2, depth = 122 m), Lake Garda (370 km ^2, depth = 346 m), Lake Como (146 km ^2, depth = 410 m) lake Pusiano (5 km ^2, depth = 14m), Lake Annona (5 km ^2, depth = 11 m) lake Iseo (65.3 km ²⁾Lake Lugano (48.7 km ^2, depth = 288m) shared between Italy and Switzerland.
• Emilia-Romagna Water Reserve Ridracoli (Forli), Fourth Lake, the Canal Emilian Romagna bringing the waters of the Po, about 150 km in agricultural areas of the region extending from Ferrara to Rimini (rainfall low water tables and become insufficient).
• Veneto:

Towns

Main cities

• Piedmont: Turin , Stresa , Novara , Cuneo , Asti , Alessandria , Biella , Vercelli , Domodossola , Verbania , Arona
• Lombardy: Milan , Monza , Varese , Como , Lecco , Bergamo , Brescia , Pavia , Cremona , Mantua ,
• Veneto: Venice , Padua , Verona , Vicenza , Treviso , Chioggia , Belluno , Cortina d'Ampezzo , Rovigo ,
• Emilia-Romagna: Bologna , Piacenza , Fidenza , Parma , Reggio Emilia , Modena , Carpi , Ferrara , Comacchio , Ravenna , Imola , Forli , Cesena , Cesenatico , Cervia , Rimini , Castrocaro Terme.

Industries

• Lourdes foundries and metallurgy in Milan, Bologna
• Lifts: every capital region and province.
• Craft: in almost all cities of more than 1000 inhabitants. It is a craft, often family-style "in all possible areas.
• Automotive: Turin ( Fiat , Autobianchi , Lancia ), Milan ( Alfa Romeo ), Modena ( Ferrari in Maranello, Maserati , Pagani , De Tomaso ), Bologna ( Lamborghini ).
• Aerospace: Turin ( Alenia Aeronautica )
• Food Processing: Work in all wine regions. Cannery in Comacchio (fishing), Cesena (vegetables, fruit, dishes).
• Fishing: fishing ports on the Adriatic, like Rimini, Cesenatico, Cervia, Ravenna, Porto Garibaldi, Chioggia, Venice, the Po delta (aboriginal fishing for eels in the arms of rivers)

Energy

• Gas methane : discovered in 1940 when Italy was hoping to find oil, the operation begins under the influence of Enrico Mattei , with an annual production of 14.6 billion cubic meters.
• Oil: discovered and mined from 1949 to Cortemaggiore hence the name of the first stations "Supercortemaggiore" in the area of Ravenna on land and at sea for an annual production of 3.42 million tonnes.
• Oil refineries are located in the lagoon of Venice, north of Ravenna.
• Hydro: Longarone (Veneto), 2 stations on the Adda
• Thermoelectric plants: Cassano d'Adda (Lombardy), Porto Tolle (Veneto)
• Geothermal power plants:

Agriculture

Main crop

Fodder and Livestock

• Lombardy:
• Emilia-Romagna: fodder, cattle, pig ( Parma ham ), poultry

Milk and cheese

In Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, for the largest producers, but also throughout the country for local production.

• Parmesan , Grana Padano , Gorgonzola , Mascarpone , Mascarpone Torta , spicy Provolone , Ricotta

Cereals

• Piedmont: rice, sugar beets, corn, potatoes,
• Lombardy: corn, soybeans, wheat,
• Emilia-Romagna: Corn, soybeans, sugar beets, wheat, barley, oats

Fruit

• Lombardy: pears, melons
• Emilia-Romagna: apples, pears, peaches, plums, kiwis, strawberries, melons, watermelons,

Vegetables

• Emilia-Romagna: tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant, onions, zucchini,

Vineyards

• Piedmont: Asti, Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Moscato, Gattinara, Ghemme, Brachetto, Gavi, Roero Dogliani
• Lombardy: Valpoliccela, Moscato, Batticino, Celletica, Oltrepo Pavese, San Colombano Valcalepo, Franciacorta
• Veneto Moscato, Bardolino, Recioto di Soave
• Emilia-Romagna: Sangiovese, Albana, Trebbiano, Lambrusco, Moscato, Cagnina, Pignoletto,

Rice

Paddy field

Located primarily in the Piedmont region, the rice fields cover the majority of arable land. The layout of rice fields , designed by Leonardo da Vinci , provides intensive exploitation of rice with some 5,000 producers of rice on 120,000 hectares and an annual production of 600,000 tonnes, 30% of European production. The traveler who passes through the region by motorway from Novara, Genoa, Turin-Savona, can see the extent of these crops.

Transportation

Motorways (autostrada)

Roads

More than 3000 kilometers of highways, some of which four lanes to two times (Milan-Bergamo, Modena-Bologna). The oldest, built by Mussolini before the war, linking Milan to Lake Maggiore (60 km Sesto Calende), lakes Como and Garda to the needs of Mussolini's political prestige and to join together the major industrial centers of Milan, Bologna, Turin, Venice, Trieste. Then in response to increasing traffic due to tourism, the network has expanded in all directions. Development by private companies, toll roads and state highways for free.

• radials from Milan to Turin (120 km), Genoa (120 km), Venice (253 km), Rimini (322 km), Chiasso (Swiss border, 53 km), Aosta (Mont Blanc and Grand St. Bernard, 180 km), Domodossola (Simplon, 112 km).
• the cross-Bologna-Venice (137 km), Bologna, Padua (117 km), Bologna-Verona (132 km), Bologna-Florence (85 km), Verona Brenner (220 km), Brescia, Piacenza (72 km) , Parma-La Spezia (100 km), Piacenza-Torino (193 km), Torino-Savona (165 km)

Air

• International transport: Malpensa and Linate to Milan Orio al Serio (Bergamo), Montichiari (Brescia), Marco Polo (Venice), Bergamo, Borgo Panigale (Bologna), Forli (Bologna shedding), Verdi (Parma), Miramare / St. Marino (Rimini), Turin-Caselle, Verona-Villafranca, Mestre-Venice.
• Small airports Tourism Vicenza, Padua, Verona, Cremona, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Ferrara, Forli, Como (seaplane), Turin

Railways

The tracks follow virtually the same route as the highway.

• the high speed line (TAV):

Italy is developing a network of high-speed train linking the main city in the country. lines form a kind of "T" connecting the cities of Turin - Milan - Venice and Milan - Bologna - Florence - Rome - Naples. Milan-Genoa line is in final phase of study. The Frejus tunnel, currently under construction, should link Lyon to Turin by 2016 and will open up one of Italy to the rest of the European high speed network.

• outline: from Milan to France through the Simplon and the Gotthard (Basel-Milan train), Milan-Rome via Florence, Milan-Venice via Trieste, Bari via Milan-Ancona, Bologna and Rimini, Milan to Austria via Brenner, Milan to Slovenia via Gorizia.

• regional lines: all possible cross between the towns of large and medium.

Shipping

• Ports of Venice, Ravenna, Rimini on the Adriatic coast.

River transport

• Time the Po was the most important communication channel between the Adriatic and the North-west. Since it joined the ancient heart of Lombardy , carrying people and goods. Over time, the traffic intensified, involving also the Ticino , the Mincio , the Adda and the entire network of artificial canals constructed between the Middle Ages and today.

• Currently Po is navigable 389 km from the mouth of the Ticino to the sea There are active commercial shipping services to Cremona in the sea (292 km).

Ecology

The Po Valley is one of the most densely populated in Europe. Three quarters of economic activity in Italy have developed there with the consequences that implies for the environment. There are particular problems posed by the waters of the Po and its tributaries, in charge of urban pollution and pollution from agriculture (nitrate, manure ...). This pollution, arriving in the Po Delta, promote the development of seaweed (kelp).

1986, the year of the brown seaweed was a terrible blow for the environment and tourism economy of the Adriatic coast from Venice to Ancona. Since the disaster, authorities have drastically reduced the use of pesticides and other chemicals, and new European environmental standards for the industry have reduced the catastrophic effects. Problems also in major seaports such as Ravenna and Venice, where the refinery Mestre plays an important role in the pollution and siltation of the lagoon.

Natural Park of the Po is the only one in Europe to protect its integrity and its entire length, a river of this size. The most important tributaries, such as the Ticino, are also included in this park. The reforestation of the banks and the destruction of dams allow the river to develop naturally and now houses a varied fauna.

Tourism and Sports

Adriatic Coast

Wide sandy beaches, especially in the area in Ravenna Rimini with little depth (1 meter of water at 50 meters from the shore). Beaches closer and coarser sand in the Ravenna area in Venice.

• Rimini, Cesenatico, Cervia, Ravenna, Comacchio Lido Venice, Lido di Jesolo, Bibione.

Inside

• All lakes, large and small, and the towns that border: Orta Boromees Islands, Stresa, Arona, Verbania, Varese, Como, Sirmione
• All cities and towns: Turin, Susa, Milan (Duomo), Pavia, Bergamo, Verona, Padua, Venice, Ferrara, Comacchio, Ravenna, Bologna, Imola, Forli, Cesena, Rimini (and San Marino (SMR) San Leo in the neighboring region of Marche ).

Sports

• Olympics: Turin ( 2006 Winter Olympics );
• Automotive: The Monza (site of Italian Grand Prix of Formula 1 ) and the Imola circuit (site of the Grand Prix of San Marino until 2006);
• Football: Milan ( AC , Inter ), Cesena, Turin ( Torino FC and Juventus ).

Internal Links

• the rivers Po , Taro , Parma and Reno
• channels Cavo Benedettino and Cavo Napoleonico
• La Padania : country located in northern Italy by group autonomy or independence.
• The Po Delta and Valle Padus

External Links

• Official site of the Po River Basin

• Geography portal
• Italy portal

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