Fresh Waters.
The land of Basilicata is rich in water. There are
five important rivers running through the region:
the Bradano, the Basento, the Cavone, the Agri and
the Sinni. All flow into the Jonian Sea in the southeast
of the region after following their long and tortuous
routes. Their beds are out of proportion compared
to the amount of water carried yet in the rare full
floods they can fill these entirely. To the north,
the Ofanto marks the border with the adjacent regions
and flows into the Adriatic Sea, while to the southwest,
the Noce flows into the Tyrrhenian. Another feature
of the region are the artificial lakes. Just the most
important will be mentioned here: the San Giuliano
Lake, the Monte Cotugno Lake and the Lake of Pietra
del Pertusillo. Built for irrigation purposes, these
large basins have now become a paradise for wildlife.
Of course there are also some natural lakes such as
the idyllic lakes of Monticchio on Mount Vulture,
Laudemio Lake on Mount Papa and Rotonda Lake just
under the Mount La Spina. The latter two were brought
into being during the glacial era. Needless to say
that game fishing is permitted in all the fresh waters
of the Lucania, if armed with the right permit. All
those rivers are completely uncontaminated for long
stretches and offer the keen nature and animal observer
a host of new and wonderful sights.