Varaita
| Varaita | ||
 Varaita near Melle |
||
| Data | ||
| location | Province of Cuneo ( Piedmont region , Italy) | |
| River system | Po | |
| Drain over | Po → Adriatic Sea | |
| source | on Monte Viso in the Cottian Alps | |
| Source height | 2500 m slm | |
| muzzle | at Casalgrasso in the Po coordinates: 44 ° 49 ′ 20 ″ N , 7 ° 36 ′ 30 ″ E 44 ° 49 ′ 20 ″ N , 7 ° 36 ′ 30 ″ E |
|
| Mouth height | 241 m slm | |
| Height difference | 2259 m | |
| Bottom slope | 24 ‰ | |
| length | 92.4 km | |
| Catchment area | 604.9 km² | |
| Drain |
MQ |
15.68 m³ / s |
| Left tributaries | Rio Vallanta, Rio Gilba | |
| Right tributaries | Torrente Melle, Rio di Valmala, Rio di Rossana | |
| Reservoirs flowed through | Reservoir near Pontechianale | |
| Communities | Casteldelfino , Melle , Costigliole Saluzzo , Polonghera | |
The Varaita is an approximately 100 km long river in the province of Cuneo in the Piedmont region , northwestern Italy. The river has its source in the Cottian Alps on the western flank of Monte Viso (3841 m), where the Po has its sources. From there it turns its course to the south and flows through the valley named after it, Valle Varaita, in an easterly direction.
After about 50 km the Varaita leaves the mountains and changes direction to the north. At Casalgrasso , about 30 km south of Turin , it flows into the Po as the first major right-hand tributary .
Larger places along the river are Pontechianale , Casteldelfino and Sampeyre in the upper third, Frassino , Melle, Brossasco and Costigliole Saluzzo in the middle, as well as Lagnasco , Scarnafigi and Moretta in the Po Valley.
The catchment area of the Varaita borders on that of the Po in the north and that of the Maira in the south . The three rivers run almost parallel at a distance of only 5–10 km. The flow regime of the Varaita corresponds to that of a typical torrente in the Alps: in spring the river carries the greatest amount of water, in the summer months the least amount of water. A large load of bed load is also typical . Throughout the year, the Varaita achieves an average discharge rate of around 15 m³ / s.
