Adige

The Adige (Italian Adige; German Etsch) is a major river in northern Italy and one of the country’s longest. It runs about 410 kilometers from its Alpine sources to the Adriatic Sea and drains a basin around 12,000 square kilometers. The river rises in the Alps near the Reschen Pass on the Austrian border and travels southeast through South Tyrol and Trentino, then across the Veneto plain, where Verona lies along its banks, before discharging into the Adriatic Sea.

The Adige collects waters from several tributaries on its way down the mountains, notably the Eisack/Isarco, Noce and Avisio, and is linked to a network of canals in the plain used for irrigation and flood control. The valley supports agriculture, including fruit growing and wine production, and the river provides hydroelectric power in multiple downstream projects.

Historically the Adige has been important for transport and regional development, with Verona and other communities engaging in trade and milling along the river. In the 20th century, flood events, especially the 1966 floods, prompted major flood-control measures and river-management programs to reduce future flood risk.

The Adige is known in German as Etsch, and its name appears in regional toponyms across the Triveneto area. It plays a central role in the geography and economy of northern Italy, shaping human settlement patterns in the Adige Valley.