Bacchiglione

The Bacchiglione (Latin: Medoacus Minor, "Little Medoacus") is a river that flows in Veneto, northern Italy. It rises in the Alps and empties about 90 miles (140 km) later into the Brenta River near Chioggia. It flows through and past a number of cities, including Vicenza and Padua. It acted for many centuries as a significant waterway up to Vicenza, above which it ceases to be navigable. It was connected in the 19th century to the Adige by a canal. The river starts in some springs in the towns of Dueville and Villaverla, in the province of Vicenza. Here it is called "Bacchiglioncello". Just upstream of the city of Vicenza, it receives water from the Leogra Timonchio (which descends from Mount Pasubio). At this junction, the river becomes the Bacchiglione. At Ponte del Bo, above Vicenza, it joins with the Orolo. In Vicenza, the Bacchiglione is joined by the rivers Tesina, Retrone and Astichello. The river is about 118 kilometres (73 miles) long and has a basin of 1,400 square kilometres (540 sq mi). The average flow of the Bacchiglione in Padua is about 30 m3/s. It flows through the summer dry season.

At Longare, the Bisatto (or "Bisato") Canal was built in the twelfth century. Verona and Vicenza built it to divert water away from Padua during the many political struggles of the time, as told in the ninth canto of Dante's "Paradiso". The channel goes to Lozzo Atestino and Este; then continues to Monselice ("Este - Montelice Canal"). Then into the Battaglia Terme ("Battle Canal" or "Monselice Canal"), where it meets the Battaglia Canal from Padua. Through the Vigenzone Canal ("Cagnola Canal ") waters are reunited with the river Bacchiglione ("Channel Pontelongo"), allowing Vicenza to arrive in Chioggia without having to pass through Padua.

Flows through: Italy.

River data from Wikidata (CC0); lengths normalised to a common unit.