Adige

Adige, river, northern Italy. It rises in the Rhaetian Alps, flows east as far as Bolzano, and then courses in a generally southern direction through Trento and Verona. Beyond Verona it flows towards the south-east and east through the Po valley, finally emptying into the Adriatic Sea near the town of Chioggia. Its waters are used in irrigation; there are also several hydroelectric power plants on the river. The lower course is wide, but the swift current makes navigation difficult; flood control measures are in place in the area. In ancient times the lower course of the river, then known as the Athesis, lay somewhat to the north of the present course. The Adige is about 410 km (255 mi) long, which makes it the second longest river in Italy, after the Po.