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, in the Metropolitan City of Turin. Its drainage basin is home to the most important complex of hydropower in Piedmont, consisting of six major dams (Agnel, Serrù, Ceresole Reale, Teleccio, Piantonetto, Valsoera), many smaller reservoirs and numerous turbines and power stations.
| Orco | |
|---|---|
 The Orco near Rivarolo Canavese | |
.png) Orco location [1] | |
| Location | |
| Country | Italy |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Gran Paradiso |
| • elevation | about 2,600 m (8,500 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Po at Chivasso |
• coordinates | 45°11′00″N 7°52′30″E / 45.18333°N 7.87500°E |
| Length | 89.568 km (55.655 mi)[1] |
| Basin size | 889.4 km2 (343.4 sq mi)[2] |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 23.9 m3/s (840 cu ft/s)[2] |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Po→ Adriatic Sea |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Piantonetto, Eugio, Ribordone, Soana, Piova, Malesina |
| • right | Gallenca |
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]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ "Autorità di bacino del fiume Po". Archived from the original on 2009-05-14. Retrieved 2015-01-19.
- ^ a b 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 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)) - ^ Naturalis historia liber III - 118, Pliny the Elder, 77 d.C.
- ^ Oro nel fiume Orco a Feletto, www.minieredoro.it (accessdate: 7-6-2012)
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