Orco
For other uses, see Orco (disambiguation).
| Orco | |
|---|---|
 The Orco near Rivarolo Canavese | |
 Orco location within northern Italy | |
| Basin | |
| Main source | Gran Paradiso |
| Source elevation | about 2,600 m (8,500 ft) |
| River mouth | Po at Chivasso |
| Size | 889.4 km2 (343.4 sq mi)[1] |
| Countries | Italy |
| Physiognomy | |
| Length | 89.568 km (55.655 mi)[2] |
| Avg. discharge | 23.9 m3/s (840 cu ft/s)[1] |
| Tributaries |
|
The Orco (Piedmontese: Eva d'òr, that is lit. Water of gold; Latin: Orgus[3]) is an Italian river. It originates in the Piedmontese slopes of Gran Paradiso and after about 90 kilometres (56 mi) reaches the Po river near Chivasso. Its drainage basin is home to the most important complex of hydropower in Piedmont, consisting of five dams: Agnel, Serrù, Ceresole, Piantonetto, Valsoera, and numerous turbines.
The Orco is known also for its gold-bearing sand, extracted already in antiquity. Even today there is a certain activity, on an amateur level, searching for grains of gold.[4]
Notes
- 1 2 Caratterizzazione bacini Idrografici (elab.I.c/7) - Allegato tecnico al Piano di Tutela delle Acque, Regione Piemonte, rev. del 1º luglio 2004 (on-line in .pdf on )
- ↑ Autorità di bacino del fiume Po
- ↑ Naturalis historia liber III - 118, Pliny the Elder, 77 d.C.
- ↑ Oro nel fiume Orco a Feletto, www.minieredoro.it (accessdate: 7-6-2012)
See also
Coordinates: 45°10′N 7°52′E / 45.167°N 7.867°E
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