The Staffora is a river of the
Oltrepò Pavese
The Oltrepò Pavese (; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Ultrepò Paves) is an area of the Province of Pavia, in the north-west Italian region of Lombardy, which lies to the south of the river Po. It is ('beyond') the Po when considered from the ...
in the
Province of Pavia, north-west
Italy and a right-side tributary of the
Po. It is probably the river known to the
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
* Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
as the Iria.
Course
The river rises in the Ligurian
Apennines
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains (; grc-gre, links=no, Ἀπέννινα ὄρη or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; la, Appenninus or – a singular with plural meaning;''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which wou ...
at the Fontana di S. Giacomo, elevation , near the Passo del Giovà, which lies just to the east of the peak of Monte Chiappo in the
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
of
Santa Margherita di Staffora
Santa Margherita di Staffora is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 80 km south of Milan and about 50 km south of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 589 an ...
. It flows at first through a deep and narrow valley, receiving from the right the waters of the torrents Montagnola and Aronchio before reaching
Varzi
Varzi is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italy, Italian region Lombardy, located about 70 km south of Milan and about 40 km south of Pavia.
Varzi borders the following municipalities: Bagnaria, Fabbrica Curon ...
where the valley begins to widen. The torrent Crenna enters from the right and the Lella from the left before the Staffora receives its major affluents: from the right: the torrent Nizza at
Ponte Nizza and the torrent Ardivestra at
Godiasco
Godiasco Salice Terme (Western Lombard: ''Gudiass'') is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 60 km south of Milan and about 30 km south of Pavia.
Geography
The municipality o ...
and from the left the torrent Semola near Ponte Nizza. The river flows through
Salice Terme
Godiasco Salice Terme (Western Lombard: ''Gudiass'') is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 60 km south of Milan and about 30 km south of Pavia.
Geography
The municipali ...
(administratively a
frazione of Godiasco) before entering the
Pianura Padana
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain ( it, Pianura Padana , or ''Val Padana'') is a major geographical feature of Northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetic ex ...
at
Rivanazzano Terme
Rivanazzano Terme ( Lombard: ''La Riva''; known simply as ''Rivanazzano'' before 30 July 2009The name was officially changed by regional law 14.07.2009 no, 12, which followed a referendum held in Rivanazzano on 29 March 2009; the name of Rivanazzan ...
. The Staffora then passes through the eastern outskirts of
Voghera
The Castle of Voghera in a 19th-century etching.
Voghera ( Vogherese dialect of Emilian: ''Vughera''; Latin: ''Forum Iulii Iriensium'') is a town and '' comune'' in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy. The population was 39, ...
, the principal town on its course, before entering the Po near
Cervesina
Cervesina is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about south of Milan and about southwest of Pavia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,186 and an area of .All demographics an ...
.
Regime
Although the river flows throughout the year, fed by perennial springs as well as by seasonal rains and melting ice, the regime is torrential: its discharge can vary between