Po River

Po River, longest river in Italy. Beginning in the Cottian Alps, it flows east for 405 mi (652 km) and drains into a huge delta in the Adriatic Sea. Most rivers in northern Italy empty into it, as do the Garda, Como, Maggiore, Lecco, and Iseo lakes. The Po carries a tremendous amount of water and has created many devastating floods. Efforts were made as early as 300 B.C. to control the river by building embankments. Several large Italian cities are situated on the Po, such as Cremona and Turin. From the mouth of the Po to Turin, the river is deep and wide enough for the navigation of freight ships transporting cargo. On the upper section of the river are several electric power plants.