The Rotaldo, known in its upper course as the Laio, is a river (classified as a '' torrente'') of northern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, and a right-side tributary of the Po River. Most of its course falls within the

Province of Alessandria The Province of Alessandria ( it, Provincia di Alessandria; pms, Provincia ëd Lissandria; in Piedmontese of Alessandria: ''Provinsa ëd Lissändria'') is an Italian province, with a population of some 425,000, which forms the southeastern part o ...

and all of it within the former

Province of Casale A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outs ...

. The river is of modest flow and is heavily reliant on rainfall with a discharge near its mouth of . The river is born on the slopes of Madonna dei Monti near

Grazzano Badoglio Grazzano Badoglio (Grazzano Monferrato until 1939) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northeast of Asti. Grazzano, which developed round the abbey found ...

in the

Province of Asti The Province of Asti ( it, Provincia di Asti, Piedmontese: ''Provincia d’Ast'') is a province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Asti. To the northwest it borders on the Metropolitan City of Turin; to the sou ...

, close to one of the springs of the

Grana del Monferrato The Grana del Monferrato (to distinguish it from the Grana of the Province of Cuneo) is a small Italian river, classified as a '' torrente'', a right tributary of the Po, which runs almost entirely in the Province of Alessandria among the hills ...

. Its early course makes an arc through the hills of the

Basso Monferrato Montferrat (, ; it, Monferrato ; pms, Monfrà , locally ; la, Mons Ferratus) is part of the region of Piedmont in northern Italy. It comprises roughly (and its extent has varied over time) the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Mon ...

, heading first west-southwest before curving gradually to west-northwest. It receives waters from a number of small streams to its left and passes through the communes of Olivola and between Vignale Monferrato and Frassinello Monferrato. At Roncaglia, it is joined at the left by a second branch whose main source is in the hills near Ottiglio; this second branch has been joined by streams rising in

Sala Monferrato Sala Monferrato is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northwest of Alessandria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 446 and an area of .All ...

Cella Monte Cella Monte is a ''comune'' (town) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northwest of Alessandria. It has roughly 509 residents. Cella Monte borders the following municipalities ...

, and

Rosignano Monferrato Rosignano Monferrato is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northwest of Alessandria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,659 and an area o ...

. From the right, it receives streams arising in Camagna Monferrato and

Conzano The Commune of Conzano (Italian: ''Comune di Conzano''; Piemontese: ''Consan'') is a municipality located in the south of Casale Monferrato, in the north-west of the italian province of Alessandria. The town became famous for having been declared ...

. At San Maurizio (near Occimiano), it is joined from the left by a further branch with origins near

Terruggia Terruggia is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northwest of Alessandria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 825 and an area of .All demogra ...

. Entering the Casalese plain, the Rotaldo River follows a sinuous course, passing through

Borgo San Martino Borgo San Martino is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northwest of Alessandria. Borgo San Martino borders the following municipalities: Casale Monf ...

, Ticineto, and Valmacca where it is joined from the left by the

Gattola The Gattola is a stream of the Basso Monferrato in north-west Italy, a left tributary of the Rotaldo. In 1836 it was of sufficient importance to be listed in the ''Dizionario geografico, storico, statistico, commerciale degli stati di S.M. il re ...

. It enters the Po River at Bozzole.

References

* Monferrato Rivers of the Province of Asti Rivers of the Province of Alessandria Rivers of Italy {{Italy-river-stub