Stura di Ovada

For other rivers and uses of the name Stura, see Stura (disambiguation).
Stura di Ovada
Location
CountryItaly
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationNorthern slopes of Monte Orditano
 • elevationaround 950 m (3,120 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Orba near Ovada, Italy
 • coordinates
44°38′38″N 8°38′54″E / 44.64389°N 8.64833°E / 44.64389; 8.64833 (Orba-Stura)
 • elevation
170 m (560 ft)
Length32.9 km (20.4 mi)[1]
Basin size134.5 km2 (51.9 sq mi)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationOvada
 • average4.3 m3/s (150 cu ft/s)[2]
Basin features
ProgressionOrba→ Bormida→ Tanaro→ Po→ Adriatic Sea

The Stura di Ovada is a 32.9-kilometre (20.4 mi) stream of Liguria and Piedmont (Italy); it is the main tributary of the Orba.

Geography

The stream rises from monte Orditano (Ceranesi municipality), in the Ligurian Apennine, with the name Sturetta (little Stura). After Piani di Praglia in Mele municipality it receives Rio di Fregeu from left hand assuming the name of Stura. In this brief part of its course the Stura marks the border between the regions of Piemonte and Liguria, and the right part of its valley is encompassed in the Capanne di Marcarolo Natural Regional Park.[3] Leaving the border it flows eastward in Liguria but, not faraway from Passo del Turchino, turns North and reaches Masone and Campo Ligure receiving from the right hand its main tributaries, Rio Vezzulla and Torrente Ponzema. Crossing Rossiglione the Stura divides the town in Rossiglione Superiore (Upper Rossigline) and Rossiglione Inferiore (Lower Rossiglione). A couple of kilometres downstream it enters Piedmont between Belforte Monferrato and Ovada. It joins the Orba near the northern border of Ovada, at around 170 m.a.s.l.[4]

Main tributaries

Rio Masone, a left-hand tributary of the Stura.

Stura di Ovada main tributaries are:[5]

  • right hand:
    • rio Vezzulla (12,12 km2),
    • torrente Ponzema (13,16 km2),
    • rio Angassino (4,02 km2),
    • rio Berlino (13,58 km2),
  • left hand:
    • rio Masone (8,35 km2),
    • rio Masca (11,05 km2),
    • rio Gargassa (16,19 km2).

Sports

An ancient bridge in Campo Ligure.

The stream is considered suitable for angling trouts.[6] Some parts of the Stura can be covered by canoe or kayak.[7]

See also

References

Media related to Stura di Ovada at Wikimedia Commons

  1. ^ AA.VV. "Elaborato I.c/5". Piano di Tutela delle Acque - Revisione del 1º luglio 2004; Caratterizzazione bacini idrografici (PDF) (in Italian). Regione Piemonte. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  2. ^ a b AA.VV. "Elaborato I.c/7". Piano di Tutela delle Acque - Revisione del 1º luglio 2004; Caratterizzazione bacini idrografici (PDF) (in Italian). Regione Piemonte. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  3. ^ "Parco Naturale delle Capanne di Marcarolo". www.parks.it (in Italian). Federparchi. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  4. ^ I.G.C. - Carta dei sentieri 1:50.000 n. 16 Genova - Varazze -Ovada
  5. ^ Drainage surfaces provided in km² are taken from T8_ecolog_interventi_stura_200 document of Provincia di Genova; .pdf version: cartogis.provincia.genova.it
  6. ^ "Le acque da trota". pescainpiemonte.sitiwebs.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2011-10-25. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
  7. ^ "Stura del Turchino". www.canoaclubalessandria.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2016-05-09. Retrieved 2016-04-22.