The Disappearing Timavo River

October 07, 2014

The Disappearing Timavo River

Photographer: Piero Armando
Summary AuthorPiero Armando

The Timavo River in far northeastern Italy flows underground for at least 25 mi (40 km) of its journey to the sea. The photo above shows where it comes to the surface near the village of San Giovanni di Duino. A few miles later it empties into the Gulf of Trieste, in the Adriatic Sea. Much of the Timaro's flow is contributed by subterranean sources, for example by rainfall that's infiltrated the limestone rock (karst topography) of this region. The peculiarity of this disappearing and reappearing river has been well known since antiquity: Livy, Strabo, and Virgil all mentioned it. Photo taken on June 27, 2013.

Photo Details: Canon IXUS 210 Digital Compact Camera; 1/160-1/20 sec. exposure; f/2.8; ISO 10-500; 2.3 mm focal length.

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