Country Italy River mouth Nera Length 90 km Mouth Nera | Main source Monte Pizzuto Basin size 2,238 km (864 sq mi) Discharge 60 m³/s | |
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The Velino ia a river in central Italy, a tributary of the Nera river. Its source is located on Monte Pozzoni's slopes (1,903 m) near Cittareale. Aftwards it runs through a narrow valley next the Mount Terminillo, known as "Gole del Vento" ("Wind's Ravines") and, near Antrodoco, receives the Peschiera Springs, which have a discharge of some 18 m³/s (9.5 m³/s is sent to Rome) through an aqueduct.
Then it receives the waters of its left tributaries Salto and Turano, and then enters the plain of Rieti, where its discharge if further increased by other minor streams to reach 60 m³/s. Near Papigno, it falls into the Nera forming the famous Cascate delle Marmore falls.
In pre-Romans times the river ended into a marsh within the plain of Rieti. The falls were created by consul Manius Curius Dentatus and enlarged in medieval times, being updated to the current state in the 18th century by architect Andrea Vici.