Fiume Adige

The River Adige is Trentino’s main river and, at 410 Km in length, the second longest in Italy. It rises from the Resia lakes, flows through the Val Venosta in the province of Bolzano in Alto Adige, and then through the Adige and Vallagarina valleys in the province of Trento. It finally runs out into the Adriatic Sea after crossing over the Padano-Veneta Plain.

The River Noce flows into the Adige a few kilometres after entering Trentino, as does the Avisio a little further downstream. Both these areas are important fish breeding grounds. Rectification work carried out around the mid 1900s led to the narrowing of the Adige riverbed and the surrounding marshland being replaced with orchards and vineyards. The Adige flows through both Trento and Rovereto, then at Mori most of the river’s water is diverted into the Biffis canal. Further down the Vallagarina valley, the Adige still preserves its natural riverbed, surrounded by premium-site vineyards, as far as the border with the province of Verona.
The quality of the river water in the province of Trento is still in IBE Class II, which becomes a Class III for a short stretch near Rovereto. Basin surface area: 8,370 km2 in Trentino, including the part in the province of Bolzano and the basins of the Noce and Avisio rivers. Marble trout area: 78 km.

This stretch of the Adige is typical of a wide river flowing along a valley floor. It features artificial external embankments made up of large boulders and an even, not too fast flowing current and a pebbly to sandy bottom. Broad gravel beds alternating with high riverbanks concealing potholes and burrows are also characteristic of this stretch, which is home to marble, brown and rainbow trout and grayling; along with chub and common barbel in smaller numbers, and pike at the mouths of the main tributaries.