River Ticino

The source of the river Ticino is in Switzerland, on the Novena (Nufenen) pass, in the St. Gotthard area. The river runs in the south-western side of the province of Varese. After flowing out of Lake Maggiore, it marks the border with the Piedmont province of Novara. Its average rate of flow is 236 cubic metres per second, but this statistic varies greatly during the year, from 52 cubic metres per second at its lowest point, up to 1,200 when it is at its highest. The continuous presence of water, and its position in the valley, made it a privileged location for human settlement from ancient times (9th century B.C., the Golasecca civilization). For centuries, river navigation was of fundamental importance.