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The Cervo ( or ''Serv'') is a
torrent Torrent or torrents may refer to: * A fast flowing stream Animals * Torrent duck, a species of the family Anatidae * Torrent fish * Torrent frog, various unrelated frogs * Torrent robin, a bird species * Torrent salamander, a family of ...
(a form of seasonally intermittent stream) in the
Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...
region of north-west
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. It is the principal tributary of the river Sesia, which itself is a significant tributary of the Po.


Etymology

The name ''Cervo'' rather than from the
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
''cervus'' (''
deer A deer (: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) ...
'') should come from the Germanic ''saar'' (''stream'' or ''river'').


Geography

It crosses the provinces of
Biella Biella (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the northern Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, the capital of the Province of Biella, province of the same name, with a population of 44,324 as of 31 December 2017. It is located about northeast of ...
(
communes 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
Piedicavallo Piedicavallo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Biella in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about northwest of Biella. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 189 and an area of .All demograph ...
,
Rosazza Rosazza is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Biella in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is th ...
,
Campiglia Cervo Campiglia Cervo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Biella in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about northwest of Biella. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 176 and an area of .All demog ...
,
Sagliano Micca Sagliano Micca is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Biella in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about north of Biella. Sagliano Micca borders the following municipalities: Andorno Micca, Biella, Fo ...
,
Andorno Micca Andorno Micca () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Biella in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about northwest of Biella. Overview It is located in the Valle Cervo, at the feet of the Biellese Pre ...
,
Tollegno Tollegno is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Biella in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about northwest of Biella. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,678 and an area of .All demographic ...
,
Biella Biella (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the northern Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, the capital of the Province of Biella, province of the same name, with a population of 44,324 as of 31 December 2017. It is located about northeast of ...
, Candelo and
Castelletto Cervo Castelletto Cervo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Biella in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about southeast of Biella. Castelletto Cervo borders the municipalities of Buronzo, Gifflenga, Less ...
) and
Vercelli Vercelli (; ) is a city and ''comune'' of 46,552 inhabitants (January 1, 2017) in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, around 600 BC. ...
(
Quinto Vercellese Quinto Vercellese is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about northwest of Vercelli. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 438 and an area of .All ...
). The Cervo’s source is the Lago della Vecchia (close to the '' Rifugio della Vecchia'') in the
Biellese Prealps The Biellese Alps (''Alpi Biellesi'' or ''Prealpi Biellesi'' in Italian language, Italian) are a sub-range of the Pennine Alps located between Piemonte and Aosta Valley (Italy). Etymology ''Alpi Biellesi'' literally means ''Alps of Biellese''; ...
. From the Lago della Vecchia it flows rapidly through a large number of communes of the
Valle del Cervo Cervo Valley (in Italian language, Italian ''Valle Cervo'' or ''Valle di Andorno'', in Piedmontese language, Piedmontese ''Val d'Andorn'', in Walser German ''Bürsch'') is a valley in north-east of Piedmont in the Province of Biella, Italy. Etym ...
. Close to
Tollegno Tollegno is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Biella in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about northwest of Biella. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,678 and an area of .All demographic ...
it receives the torrent Oropa from the right then crosses the eastern part of the city of
Biella Biella (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the northern Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, the capital of the Province of Biella, province of the same name, with a population of 44,324 as of 31 December 2017. It is located about northeast of ...
, in particular the quarter of Chiavazza. From here the valley widens and the torrent flows more slowly along a broad and pebbly stream bed. In this section of its course the Cervo is united with a number of modest tributaries: the Mologna, the Chiebbia, the Lu Rialet and the Bruma. Near the town of
Cossato Cossato is a ''municipality'' in the province of Biella, Italy, in the northwest part of Piedmont, east of Biella. It has a population of about 14,804 and it spreads over an area of 27,74 km2, which makes it the second largest town in the Pro ...
the flow grows visibly when the torrent is joined from the left by the Strona di Mosso. Near
Castelletto Cervo Castelletto Cervo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Biella in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about southeast of Biella. Castelletto Cervo borders the municipalities of Buronzo, Gifflenga, Less ...
it receives the waters of the Ostola and enters the plain of the
province of Vercelli The province of Vercelli () is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is Vercelli. , it has an area of and a total population of some 176,000. It is an area known for the cultivation of rice. Main sights ...
. In the Vercellese plain, where the Canale Cavour crosses over the torrent, the Cervo is significantly enriched by the contribution of numerous minor water courses and canals. In the area of
Collobiano Collobiano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about northwest of Vercelli Vercelli (; ) is a city and ''comune'' of 46,552 inhabitants (January 1, 2 ...
it is joined by more important torrents: the
Rovasenda Rovasenda is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and northwest of Vercelli. As of 31 December 2020, it had a population of 9,025 and an area of .All demogra ...
and Marchiazza from the left and from the right the
Elvo Hellenic Vehicle Industry (ELVO, also spelled in English as ELBO) is a Greek manufacturer of civilian and military vehicles based in Thessaloniki, Greece. History The Hellenic Vehicle Industry started business as ''Steyr Hellas S.A.'' assem ...
, its most important tributary. At this point the Cervo turns from a torrent into a river which can be expected to flow continuously throughout the year. It advances lazily towards the Sesia which it joins near
Quinto Vercellese Quinto Vercellese is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about northwest of Vercelli. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 438 and an area of .All ...
as its most important tributary.


Main tributaries

Left hand: * Strona di Mosso; * Ostola; * Guarabione; *
Rovasenda Rovasenda is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and northwest of Vercelli. As of 31 December 2020, it had a population of 9,025 and an area of .All demogra ...
; * Marchiazza. Right hand: *
Oropa Oropa is a ''frazione'' of the municipality of Biella, in Piedmont, northern Italy. It is famous for the Black Virgin of Oropa statue, which is located in the Sanctuary of Oropa, the List of basilicas in Italy, basilica of the Sacro Monte di Oro ...
; *
Elvo Hellenic Vehicle Industry (ELVO, also spelled in English as ELBO) is a Greek manufacturer of civilian and military vehicles based in Thessaloniki, Greece. History The Hellenic Vehicle Industry started business as ''Steyr Hellas S.A.'' assem ...
.CTR (''Carta Tecnica Regionale'') 1:10.000, Regione Piemonte, Settore Cartografico and Settore Sistema Informativo Territoriale, 2007
raster file:Rgb-raster-image.svg, upright=1, The Smiley, smiley face in the top left corner is a raster image. When enlarged, individual pixels appear as squares. Enlarging further, each pixel can be analyzed, with their colors constructed through comb ...
version


Regime

Despite the Cervo’s generous mean discharge of about ''Piano di tutela delle acque'' (AI 18 - Cervo); Regione Piemonte - Direzione Pianificazione delle Risorse Idriche - 200
(on-line in pdf)
at its confluence with the Sesia, its regime is sharply torrential. The highest rates of flow occur with the melting of the prealpine snows in the late spring, and above all with the autumn rains. The latter can lead to such disastrous floods as occurred in 1968 and 2002. In the summer, however, the discharge is much diminished and significant tracts may dry up completely as a result of the heavy exploitation of its water.


Angling and water quality

The Cervo is classified as a “Category A” water course in the upper Valle Cervo from its source to Biella; here
trout Trout (: trout) is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the ...
s are present. Beyond Biella and in the Vercellese plain members of the carp family are found and it falls into “Category B”.


See also

* Hydrography of the Biella region


Notes and references

:''The initial version of this article was a translation o
this version
of the article :it:Cervo (torrente) in the
Italian Wikipedia The Italian Wikipedia () is the Italian language, Italian-language edition of Wikipedia. This edition was created on 10 May 2001, and first edited on 11 June 2001. As of , it has articles and more than registered accounts. It is the -largest W ...
.''


Other projects

{{Authority control Rivers of the Province of Biella Rivers of the Province of Vercelli Rivers of Italy Rivers of the Alps