Water

Water: the Blue Gold, particularly abundant in the Rieti territory, thanks to the many springs, rivers and lakes, is excellent to drink and represents a great resource for experiencing its “world” made of fountains, streams, small and large lakes and even waterfalls (for example the Vallocchie Fall). Lake Salto and Lake Turano stand out as the two largest and characteristic artificial lakes that feed the Cotilia plant powering Rieti and its surroundings. These two lakes, connected through an underground tunnel several kms long, are renowned for their fishing and recreational activities. In this context, it’s worth mentioning the European and World Wakeboard Championships that attract many sportsmen, fans and curious. The small lakes of the territory also include Lake Paterno, surrounded by mountains and villages, and the Lakes Lungo and Ripasottile, whose homonymous nature reserve offers the possibility to practice birdwatching and experience the wild nature. Water, for the town of Rieti, is certainly identified with the Velino river that rises at the foot of the Pozzoni Mountain and, after crossing most of the province, from the Upper Velino Valley to the area bordering Umbria, flows into the Nera river, forming the Marmore Falls, the highest in Europe, located in the province of Terni. The Velino river has always marked the history of the Rieti Plain, once a huge swamp then reclaimed by Manio Curio Dentato in 271 B.C., and its beauty can be appreciated today aboard a rafting boat departing from the city center. Finally, how not to mention the characteristic spring of Santa Susanna and its attractive park, that feeds a rich and transparent watercourse in the heart of the Rieti Plain.