The **Aterno-Pescara** (Latin: *Aternus*) is the longest river in the Abruzzo region and the one with the largest watershed, 3,190 km2 (1,230 sq mi) of the rivers that flow into the Adriatic Sea south of the Reno river.

The river starts as Aterno on the *Monti della Laga* (a mountain range in the central Apennines) flowing mainly through the provinces of L'Aquila and Pescara; it also flows through the Chieti but only for a short distance. In the *comune* of Popoli, the river is joined by the *Pescara* river and then flows into the Adriatic Sea in the city of Pescara.

Geography
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The Aterno-Pescara river has a length of 145 km (90 mi), and a drainage basin with an area of approximately 3,188 km2 (1,231 sq mi).

The Aterno-Pescara river could be divided in three parts: the *Aterno* from its start till its confluence with the Saggitario river, *Aterno-Saggitario* till its confluence with the Pescara, and *Aterno-Pescara* till its mouth in the Adriatic Sea.

### Aterno

The Aterno starts in the *Monti della Laga* mountain range at an altitude of 1,013 m (3,323 ft), just to the northeast of *Aringo*, a hamlet in the Montereale *comune*. It runs through the Montereale canyon and flows, in general, to the southeast and flows to the south of the city of L'Aquila.

After the *San Venanzio* canyon and of the Raiano comune, the Aterno turns to the northeast.

### Aterno-Sagittario

In Popoli, the Aterno joins its main tributary, il *Sagittario*. For several kilometers, the river is called Aterno-Sagittario.

### Aterno-Pescara

Later, the Aterno is joined by the *Pescara* river, a very short river; from this point, the river is called Aterno-Pescara or, simply, Pescara, and keeps flowing to the northeast.

The river flows through the valley of Pescara, touching the low part of the city of Chieti and gets in to the city of Pescara where it ends in the Adriatic Sea.

Municipalities
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The Aterno-Pescara flows through many municipalities; some of them are:

* Province of L'Aquila
	+ Montereale
	+ Cagnano Amiterno
	+ Barete
	+ Pizzoli
	+ L'Aquila
	+ San Demetrio ne' Vestini
	+ Raiano
* Province of Pescara
	+ Popoli
	+ Bussi sul Tirino
	+ Castiglione a Casauria
	+ Pescara
* Province of Chieti
	+ Chieti

Main tributaries
----------------

The main tributaries of the Aterno-Pescara river are:

 

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Left tributaries**:* Vetoio
* Vera
* Tirino - 25 km
* Cigno
* Nora

  |   | **Right tributaries**:* Raio - 23 km
* Sagittario - 21 km
* Pescara
* Orta - 40 km
* Lavino
 |

Gallery
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* San Venanzio canyon.*San Venanzio* canyon.
* Bridge over the Alterno in Popoli.*Bridge* over the Alterno in Popoli.
* Source of the Pescara river.Source of the Pescara river.
* A view of a spring of the Pescara, with Popoli in the backgroundA view of a spring of the Pescara, with Popoli in the background
* Mouth of the Pescara river.Mouth of the Pescara river.

Related pages
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* List of rivers of Italy

Other websites
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to ***Aterno River***.

* Fiume italiani: *Fiume Aterno* (in Italian)

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* VIAF

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| National | 
* Germany

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