Po River

The Po River is Italy's longest river, extending 405 miles and draining a basin area of 28,572 square kilometers. The Po's typical course is from west to east, and it runs in the northern portions of the nation. It runs through a number of significant cities, including Milan, Torino, Cremona, Piacenza, and Ferrara. The river is fed by 141 tributaries and has a maximum width of 1,650 feet. River Po runs in a low gradient area, which, combined with its large flow, makes it prone to major floods; as a result, half of its flow is regulated by dikes.

Turin and Milan, two of the country's largest industrial hubs, utilize river water for industrial reasons. Agriculture is also frequently conducted on a huge scale along the river. Until 2002, there was no wastewater treatment facility in Milan, and raw sewage ran directly into the river. The river was discovered to be poisoned by massive levels of benzoylecgonine, a substance present in the urine of cocaine users, in 2005. The most recent contamination occurred in 2010 when oil flowed into the river from a refinery in Villasanta. Po River is frequently mistaken for the Eridanus river of Greek mythology.

Length: 405 miles