The Varaita is a 75 km river of the Province of Cuneo in northwest Italy. It is the first right tributary of the Po River.

Geography

The river springs at an elevation of some 2,500 m on the slopes of Monviso, in the Cottian Alps near the French border, then proceeds through the valley named after it—the Valle Varaita—where it passes through centres including Frassino, Sampeyre, Brossasco and Costigliole Saluzzo. Having entered the plains of the Po valley it joins the Po near Casalgrasso.

Regime

The regime is typical of an Alpine torrent: the flow is at its greatest in spring and in autumn while being drastically reduced during the summer. The mean discharge at its confluence with the Po is about 12 m3/s.