Tanaro

The Tanaro is a large tributary of the Po River that travels 171 kilometers from the Ligurian Alps to the slopes of Monte Saccarello. The river is fed by four major tributaries: the Stura di Demonte, Borgore, Bormida, and the Belbo. The river starts in the Ligurian Alps near the French border and is the major right-side tributary of the Po in terms of length, drainage basin area, and flow.

The Tanaro is 276 kilometers long and drains an area of approximately 8,000 square kilometers. It springs in the Maritime Alps and runs across the Monferrato highlands. The lower route runs through the western portion of the Po-Venetian Plain. The river is prone to flooding, having been flooded 136 times in the last 200 years. The biggest flooding occurred in 1994, when the whole river valley, including Alessandria, was badly inundated. The Battle of Pollentia took place in 941 on the left bank of the Tanaro River.

Length: 171 miles